Ronna McDaniel Cements Position As RNC Chairwoman

Ronna McDaniel Cements Position As RNC Chairwoman

(LibertySociety.com) – On Friday, Ronna McDaniel was elected as the Republican National Committee Chairwoman for a fourth term. Overall, about 63% of the RNC members voted for her. McDaniel had to go up against Harmeet Dhillon, a California attorney and RNC committeewoman with ties to former President Donald Trump.

It only took a single round before McDaniel received 111 of the 167 votes in the election, while Dhillon secure just over 50 votes. MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell also secured a few votes, but not enough to hold much sway.

According to CNN, Dhillon had called for the party to “radically reshape” its leadership after the disappointing results of the several previous elections.

Despite her loss, Dhillon told reporters that the party would have to address widespread distrust among rank-and-file voters across the country. McDaniel asked Dhillon and Lindell onto the stage for a photo op after her win, trying to show unity in the party. However, Dhillon pointed out that the party was still not united and changes would need to be made at the RNC.

According to Fox News, Dhillon said that the people who supported her needed to “rally around [the] party and its candidates” so the GOP could stand up to the Democrats and left-leaning President Joe Biden.

McDaniel and Dhillon are each known for their history with Trump. McDaniel was backed by Trump during her first bid for the part chair, while Dhillon’s law firm previously represented Trump.

Although Trump declined to endorse either candidate, he offered McDaniel his congratulations on Truth Social. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who may be a rival to Trump in the 2024 presidential election, commented previously that the RNC needed some “new blood,” but didn’t offer an endorsement for Dhillon.

The race for RNC chair has highlighted the fractious nature of the Republican Party as they disagree on how to move the party forward before the 2024 presidential election, with Trump already announced as a candidate. During her speech at the beginning of Friday’s meeting, McDaniel argued that the party must be united going into 2024.

McDaniel secured commitments from over 100 RNC members before Friday’s secret ballot election, but Dhillon’s allies had suggested that some members would switch their votes during secret voting. The race for RNC chair had become increasingly contentious over the past two months, with both women promising to look closely at the RNC’s spending. As the GOP figures out how much influence Trump should have over the party, Trump’s candidates for RNC co-chair and treasurer were also elected.

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