[2] The purpose of the committee is to nominate Republican candidates for election to New York and federal political roles.

The chair and the executive committee seek new party members; control local finances; find candidates to run for public office and choose the nominee (unless both candidates have petitioned enough signatures to trigger a primary).

Before each statewide election, the committee organises a party convention and chooses candidates for offices of the state.

A candidate with less than 25 percent of the committee's vote may compete in the "primary" if they have a petition of support of greater than 15000 voters.

The current National Committee members are Jennifer Saul, a Republican fundraiser and former chairwoman of the New York County Republican Committee, and Lawrence Kadish, a real estate developer from downstate New York.

First elected in 1980, D'Amato lost his bid for a fourth term in 1998 to Chuck Schumer who has held the seat since.