Ronna McDaniel, Chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, has finally declared that she will most likely step down from the post on March 8. The announcement comes as former President Donald J. Trump intends to install a new selected national party leader before the general election.
In a statement issued by New York Times, McDaniel, who held the position for seven years, said: “I have decided to step aside at our Spring Training on March 8 in Houston to allow our nominee to select a Chair of their choosing.”
“The RNC has historically undergone change once we have a nominee and it has always been my intention to honor that tradition,” she added.
Recalling some of her accomplishments, McDaniel, 50, said it includes “firing Nancy Pelosi, winning the popular vote in 2022, creating an Election Integrity Department and building the committee’s first small dollar grassroots donor program.”
She also reminisced about how she strengthened state parties through growing Republican organizations to Win program, expanded the party through minority outreach at community centers, and launched Bank Your Vote to get Republicans to commit to voting early.
McDaniel, who is Mitt Romney’s niece, was the second woman to head the RNC. Earlier, she served as chair of the Republican Party of Michigan.
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Who will succeed Ronna McDaniel?
Few weeks ago, McDaniel told Trump that she expected to quit shortly after the South Carolina primary, which took place on Saturday. She even called herself a “team player” who will do what is best for the party.
However, she has now initiated a new election within the party’s formal structure, in which Trump’s preferred chair and co-chair will seek enough votes to take control.
Trump has publicly endorsed Michael Whatley, the North Carolina Republican Party chairman and the national committee’s general counsel, to succeed McDaniel. And he has even backed his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, to be the next co-chair.
When asked about McDaniel’s performance, Trump told Fox News earlier this month that “some changes” were expected at the RNC.
“I think she performed well when she ran Michigan for me. “I think she did okay initially in the RNC,” Trump said in the interview. “I would say right now there’ll probably be some changes made.”
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Why was Ronna McDaniel’s leadership criticised?
Scrutiny of McDaniel’s leadership at the RNC grew among party activists following the 2022 midterm elections, when Republicans lost many key Senate and governorship races.
Dissatisfied with McDaniel’s leadership, grassroots activists and conservative influencers banded together to support former vice chairwoman of the California Republican Party Harmeet Kaur Dhillon‘s campaign. But McDaniel put on a show of force ahead of the GOP’s winter meetings last year, presenting a list of over 100 RNC members who supported her for another term, and she comfortably defeated the challenge.
McDaniel’s leadership is being criticised for how she handles party finances and grassroots operations. The party’s most recent declaration to the Federal Election Commission revealed a cash shortfall, with less than half the amount in the bank as the Democratic National Committee disclosed at the end of 2023.
Following Trump’s resounding GOP victories in Iowa and New Hampshire, McDaniel stated that it was time for the party to coalesce around him as the “eventual nominee”.
What are the duties of RNC?
The Republican National Committee (RNC) is the main committee of the Republican Party of the United States.
The RNC’s main task is to support the Republican Party. It contributes to the advancement of the Republican political platform and the “party brand” or image. It facilitates the planning of election strategy and fundraising.
“Convening a national convention to nominate candidates for president and vice president, and holding two annual meetings for the RNC member body over which the chair presides,” are the two mandatory duties listed in the RNC bylaws, according to The Washington Post.
