Ronna McDaniel Fends Off Opposition, Elected To Fourth Term As GOP Chair

Ronna McDaniel was elected to her fourth term as head of the Republican National Committee (RNC). She fought off opposition fueled by the disappointing results from the 2022 midterm election.

The results are the result of a heated race between Harmeet and Mike Dhillon, who sought to replace McDaniel. According to the Associated Press.

Many of former President Donald Trump’s top lieutenants, including Susie Wiles was Susie’s top advisor and whipping votes in support of the incumbent chair.

Other MAGA stalwarts and many of the former president’s defenders in the press and on network news sided with Dhillon. The Republican Party’s losses in the 2018, 2020, and 2022 elections showed that the party needs a change of pace, Dhillon’s supporters argued.

Republican Florida Gov. Rick Scott was the shock of the hour in the RNC chair race. Ron DeSantis made comments to Turning Point USA’s Charlie Kirk favorable to Dhillon. According to the Florida governor, the party required “new blood” At the top.

“I think we need a change, I think we need to get some new blood in the RNC, I like what Harmeet Dhillon said about getting the RNC out of D.C.,” DeSantis said. “I do think we need some fresh thinking. And practically you need grassroots Republicans to power this organization with volunteering and donations, and I think it’s going to be very difficult to energize people to want to give money and volunteer their time with the RNC if they don’t change direction.”

As McDaniel and Dhillon fought for the majority of support, it became sometimes personal. Even though Lindell ran, she was seen as a distant 3rd and unlikely to get the votes.

Dhillon suggested McDaniel might be trying to influence committee members’ votes by threatening withholding party funds from their states. McDaniel denies the allegations.

Dhillon’s opponents claim spread concerns over the attorney’s “Sikh faith.” Dhillon responded to the allegations by stating that it was “hurtful to learn that a handful of RNC members, in a close race for RNC chair, have chosen to question my fitness to run the RNC by using my devout Sikh faith as a weapon against me.”

McDaniel issued a statement denouncing religious bigotry.

“We are the party of faith, family and freedom, and these attacks have no place in our party or our politics,” McDaniel said. “As a member of a minority faith myself, I would never condone such attacks. I have vowed to run a positive campaign and will continue to do so.”