United States – Republican National Committee’s chairwoman, Ronna McDaniel, announced in her message for the Monday press day that she was leaving the post after being pressured by the party’s presumptive 2024 presidential nominee – former President Donald Trump.
Trump’s Concerns Prompt Change
The decision was made by former President Trump, who could be the major candidate for the party’s presidential nomination in November, being concerned with some adjustments to the Republican National Committee, such as the one indicated above, as reported by Reuters.
“The RNC has historically undergone change once we have a nominee, and it has always been my intention to honor that tradition. I remain committed to winning back the White House and electing Republicans up and down the ballot in November,” McDaniel said in a statement.
Transition Set for March 8th
Thanking Trump, she announced that the change would take effect on March 8th, enabling the Republican candidate to select the chair.
Super Tuesday and the 2024 Convention
Super Tuesday is a 2024 convention day when a dozen states and one territory of the USA will cast votes for the Republican Party nominee.
The RNC co-chair, Drew McKissick, also released a statement that he would have to leave his office as well.
Trump’s Preferred Successors
Two weeks ago, Trump backed North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Michael Whatley as the next RNC chairperson and a co-chairperson his daughter-in-law Lara Trump, which secured his door in the RNC while approaching the 2024 presidential nomination, as reported by Reuters.
The incoming chairperson will have to deal with the issue of party disunity, which is about only nine months before the 2024 general election.
Party Unity Challenges for Incoming Chair
The RNC becomes a very important part in terms of funding, promoting the party’s doctrine, shifting resources, and motivating voters for their nominee.
Just after Trump’s meeting with McDaniel early this month, Trump wrote on social media campaign for changes in the RNC after Saturday’s February 24th primary in South Carolina, where he won a clear victory.
However, a few months after winning in 2016, Trump, in turn, had supported McDaniel, a niece to his past nemesis, and Mitt Romney, the Republican presidential nominee from 2012, to be the new RNC chair.
McDaniel played a crucial role in turning Michigan, a swing state in the 2016 election, red as the race between Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton was all too tight, as reported by Reuters.
At that time, she was in public life under the name of Ronna Romney McDaniel, but after that endorsement, she left her middle name. Several news media outlets said that Trump’s request was what caused him to ask her to do that.
Senator Mitt Romney of Massachusetts had criticized Trump prior to being the first candidate short of being the nominee. He designated him a “phony” and a “fraud” in an uncharacteristically blunt speech, given the restrictions on political discourse, which called for the rejection of their own candidate.
