"The treatment I received from the new political department has been disrespectful, antagonistic and unacceptable," Connelly wrote in an email that was obtained by The Associated Press. Because of the importance of faith engagement to the RNC, it was time to move in a new direction in the department in order to expand our efforts," said RNC political director Juston Johnson. An increase in church engagement of only a few percentage points is often the difference in victory and defeat," Connelly wrote. "We have learned and re-learned those lessons and unfortunately, it appears that your political department would want us to learn it again." Johnson, however, pledged that the RNC's faith and engagement team would have "a larger footprint" in the 2018 midterm elections.

Source: ABC News October 27, 2017 21:50 UTC