(LibertyInsider.org) — Change is coming for the top leadership of the Republican National Committee (RNC). Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel has officially confirmed that she will step down from the role on March 8, putting an end to weeks of confusion over her intentions.
In a statement on February 26, McDaniel said it had been her honor and privilege to serve the RNC for over seven years. “I have decided to step aside at our Spring Training,” the chairwoman said, “…to allow our nominee to select a Chair of their choosing.”
McDaniel first began leading the RNC in 2017 after then-President Donald Trump endorsed her for the role following his 2020 election win. However, she almost immediately faced criticism over the GOP’s increasingly lackluster election results.
Ronna McDaniel officially announces her resignation as RNC chair https://t.co/WssOUBRr0F pic.twitter.com/hBtLcyWKVC
— New York Post (@nypost) February 26, 2024
Cash reserves at the RNC began to dwindle a short time later, and the party ultimately failed to meet its fundraising goals in 2022. By the end of 2023, the RNC had reported only $8 million in cash on hand, according to an FEC filing.
Scrutiny over McDaniels’ suitability for the job increased considerably as former President Donald Trump began to distance himself from the RNC chair. In several early February meetings with the press, he expressed direct misgivings.
In one interaction with Fox News, Trump carefully acknowledged McDaniels’ achievements in Michigan over the years. Subtly switching gears, he added that “…there’ll probably be some changes made.”
A post shared on Trump’s Truth Social account on February 5 seemed to corroborate the idea that he was mulling over replacing her. While he confirmed she was still the RNC lead at that time, he warned that might change after the South Carolina primaries concluded.
An anonymous insider who spoke to the media shortly afterward claimed Trump had also met with McDaniel in private at Mar-a-Lago to discuss the matter. That exchange quickly spurred news reports claiming the chairwoman had already agreed to step down.
McDaniel, for her part, quickly countered those accusations in a memo to the RNC first obtained by the Daily Caller. Noting that she remained fully committed to the mission, the RNC lead dismissed any rumors of her departure at the time. “Nothing has changed, and there will not be any changes decided on until after South Carolina,” McDaniel said. The South Carolina primary took place on February 24, and McDaniel announced her plan to step down days later.
Copyright 2024, LibertyInsider.org
