int ▁as ▁R GA ▁Chair man , ▁and ▁he ▁named ▁Ay ers ▁as ▁Executive ▁Director ▁and ▁Ben ne cke ▁as ▁Political ▁Director ▁( l ater ▁given ▁the ▁additional ▁title ▁of ▁Deput y ▁Executive ▁Director ). ▁ ▁The ▁two ▁young ▁Georg ians ▁conce ived ▁an ▁un pre ced ented ▁four - year ▁plan ▁to ▁professional ize ▁the ▁committee ' s ▁operation ▁and ▁implement ▁a ▁long - range ▁strategy , ▁leading ▁up ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁mid term ▁elections , ▁when ▁ 3 7 ▁Govern ors ▁would ▁be ▁elected . ▁ ▁Their ▁plan ▁was ▁accepted ▁by ▁the ▁Govern ors , ▁and ▁Ay ers ▁and ▁Ben ne cke ▁served ▁through ▁four ▁g ubern atorial ▁cycles ▁en comp ass ing ▁all ▁ 5 0 ▁states . ▁ ▁When ▁the ▁two ▁began ▁at ▁R GA , ▁Republic ans ▁were ▁re eling ▁from ▁a ▁terrible ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁cycle , ▁and ▁held ▁only ▁ 2 2 ▁state h ouses . ▁When ▁they ▁left ▁in ▁early ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁the ▁G OP ▁held ▁ 2 9 ▁Governor ships , ▁a ▁net ▁gain ▁of ▁seven ▁( including ▁Ohio , ▁Michigan , ▁New ▁Jersey , ▁Wisconsin ▁and ▁Virginia ). ▁ ▁Ben ne cke ▁o vers aw ▁a ▁budget ▁tot alling ▁$ 3 5 ▁million ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 - 0 9 , ▁which ▁rose ▁to ▁more ▁than ▁$ 1 0 0 ▁million ▁for ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁alone . ▁ ▁Independent ▁consult ing , ▁ 2 0 1 1 - 1