According to a breathless report in the New York Times, Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel will resign from the party after the South Carolina Republican primary, which is scheduled for Feb. 24.
The newspaper cited as sources “two people familiar with the plans.”
A new election would need to take place, with those same sources saying that former President Donald Trump is backing North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Michael Whatley to ascend to lead the RNC.
McDaniel is blamed by some party members for uninspired leadership and underwhelming fundraising. She was held to account for not being able to restore the Senate to Republican control in 2020, and for various mid-term election disappointments. Losing the White House to Joe Biden in 2020 also came under her watch. Fundraising has been lackluster.
The Washington Post reports that the discussion she was said to have with Trump is just that — a discussion, and no decision has been made about her stepping down.
“Mr. Trump likes Mr. Whatley for one overwhelming reason, according to people who have discussed him with the former president: He is ‘a stop the steal guy, as one of the people described him. He endorses Mr. Trump’s false claims about mass voter fraud and Mr. Trump believes he did a good job delivering North Carolina, a 2020 swing state, to him,” the New York Times reported.
Whatley is from conservative Gaston County, and is running for reelection as North Carolina State Party Chairman.
“With the help of Republican activists all across our great State, we can deliver the votes in North Carolina to elect a Republican President, expand our majorities on the NC Supreme Court, protect our supermajorities in the legislature and elect a Republican Governor in 2024,” he writes on his website.
In 2023, McDaniel won her fourth term as party chairwoman. She was first elected in 2017 with Trump’s support.
