The Republican National Committee (RNC) will soon hold an election to name its new chairperson. Considering the GOP’s lackluster performance in recent elections, chances are slim the group will choose to re-elect its current chairperson, Ronna McDaniel.
Though rank-and-file Republicans have no direct impact on RNC elections, surveys suggest that fewer than a quarter of GOP voters support McDaniel.
RNC member Roger Villere Jr., a member from Louisiana, confirmed that his state party signed a no-confidence resolution against McDaniel last weekend. “The grassroots is firmly supporting a change,” said Villere. “Every vote, every call every day, I hear people who want someone other than Ronna…we’ve had three cycles where we’ve underachieved significantly, and it’s just time.”
Similar calls are being voiced in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, and Texas.
“As we’ve seen with recent events on Capitol Hill, the era of the establishment is over,” adds Mark Meckler, President of Convention of the States Action. “The grassroots are pushing back and making their voices heard. And – contrary to what Ronna McDaniel has stated publicly – the leadership of the RNC should ultimately reflect the will of the Republican voter and move Republicans forward at the ballot box.”
McDaniel, known for her commitment to election integrity, support for minority communities, and desire to reign in Big Tech, has argued that it is not the responsibility of the RNC to get people elected.
“The RNC is infrastructure…We’re the stadium,” said McDaniel. “The players play in our stadium. The infrastructure is necessary for victory. And that’s why I want to stay on.”
McDaniel’s decision to run for a fourth two-year term was allegedly driven by support among members. And though she was wholeheartedly supported by then-President Donald Trump in 2017, the former president has made no endorsement this year.
During an interview with Fox News last month, McDaniel said her support among the group was “pretty solid” and claimed she had been endorsed by over 100 RNC members (though most of these endorsements are months old).
The 168-member committee will hold a forum in California starting on January 25th, during which they will hear closing statements from McDaniel and her primary rival, Harmeet Dhillon.
Dhillon, a lawyer and California native who served as a legal adviser on Trump’s re-election campaign, has won support from Republicans seeking to distance themselves from the so-called “Establishment.”
Dhillon had called for an open forum rather than a closed debate, while McDaniel said she would only answer questions in front of the people who would be participating in the vote. “[The absence of press coverage] sends a very bad signal to RNC donors and grassroots leaders that the current chair is too weak or afraid to debate her own record,” said Dhillon.
The forum, which will be closed to the press and the public, will culminate with a final vote on January 27th. A handful of other candidates have thrown their hats in the ring (including My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell), though none have the level of support enjoyed by Dhillon or McDaniel.
Sources:
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