(Jacob Bruns, Headline USA) Longtime Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel has formally announced her plans to step down from her position, effective next week, Newsmax reported.
McDaniel, who headed up the RNC for seven years, will resign on March 8, three days after Super Tuesday.
She released a statement Monday announcing her intentions.
“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,” McDaniel said. “The R.N.C. has historically undergone change once we have a nominee, and it has always been my intention to honor that tradition.”
Recent indications are that Trump has expressed support for current North Carolina GOP chairman Michael Whatley to fill the role, as well as his daughter-in-law Lara Trump—also a North Carolina native—to serve as co-chair.
Whatley helped to bring the NCGOP from the precipice following a series of scandals that culminated in the 2019 resignation of longtime chair Robin Hayes, who was indicted on a bribery charge but later pardoned by then-President Trump.
He has also succeeded in safeguarding the state’s elections, despite efforts by Democrat state Attorney General Josh to force many of the same dubious mail-in ballot laws that other battleground states succeeded in implementing ahead of the 2020 election.
Republicans in the North Carolina legislature notably gained a super-majority against Democrat Gov. Roy Cooper last year after successfully courting Democrat lawmaker Tricia Cotham to switch parties.
Lara Trump, the wife of Eric, has previously been floated as a potential U.S. Senate contender in the state, and gaining political experience at the RNC is likely to strengthen her hand for a possible run in 2026 to replace RINO Sen. Thom Tillis.
McDaniel—the niece of retiring RINO Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah—reaffirmed her desire to see Republicans succeed in 2024 and beyond.
“I remain committed to winning back the White House and electing Republicans up and down the ballot in November,” she said.
McDaniel’s legacy as RNC chair has been mixed.
She oversaw some relatively successful elections, but also failed to take advantage of general momentum during the lackluster “red wave” of 2022.
The RNC chair has faced criticism for Republican failures in 2023, leading former Republican candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to call for her resignation during a debate.
“Since Ronna McDaniel took over as chairwoman of the RNC in 2017, we have lost 2018, 2020, 2022—no red wave, that never came,” Ramaswamy said in his opening remarks onstage.
This led him to call for “accountability in our party,” offering a chance for McDaniel to come on stage to resign.
“For that matter, Ronna, if you wanna come onstage tonight, you wanna look the GOP voters in the eye and tell ’em you resign, I will turn over my—yield my time to you.”
With the rumors that McDaniel was already on her way out having begun to circulate after the Jan. 23 New Hampshire primary, a damning report by RedState revealed millions in wasteful spending on luxuries like flowers and limousines, consultants fees and office supplies.
RNC: Spends $333,000 on limousines and flowers
DNC: Spends $7,800 on limousines and flowersRNC: Spends $86k on ”get out the vote” texting
DNC: Spends $1.67 million on ”get out the vote” texting https://t.co/9d2oOULqqb— Bill Grueskin (@BGrueskin) February 2, 2024
Other Republicans took a more moderate approach to analyzing McDaniel’s tenure.
Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., even praised her as a “strong leader” who was “instrumental in helping us win back the House majority” after losing it in 2018.
“Her leadership in the party helped expand the electoral map and supported candidates that are now rising stars,” McCarthy said.
Headline USA’s Ben Sellers contributed to this report.
