Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel announced on Monday that she will be stepping down from her position on March 8th, concluding her seven-year stint at the helm of the GOP. McDaniel’s resignation, which will come just days after the March 5th Super Tuesday primaries, will clear a path for former President Donald Trump, the party’s presumptive presidential nominee, to promote his own candidates for RNC leadership.
“It has been the honor and privilege of my life to serve the Republican National Committee for seven years as Chairwoman to elect Republicans and grow our Party,” said McDaniel in a statement obtained by ABC News. “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 further pledged to honor the RNC’s tradition of changing leadership upon appointing a nominee, tacitly admitting that Trump will likely fill this role. She was first tapped for the role of RNC Chair by the former President when he was elected in 2016. In the years since then, consistent Republican losses in the 2020 presidential and 2022 midterm elections have intensified calls for her to be replaced.
Learn the benefits of becoming a Valuetainment Member and subscribe today!
As Valuetainment previously reported, rumors of McDaniel’s resignation first circulated late last month after she met with former President Trump at Mar-A-Lago to discuss party strategy. At the time, Trump indicated that “a decision” would be made after the South Carolina primary election, and McDaniel declared that “nothing had changed” yet.
In early February, Trump announced a slate of endorsements for new party leadership, including North Carolina GOP chairman Michael Whatley as the new chairman and his own daughter-in-law Lara Trump for co-chair. Political consultant and former Marine Chris LaCivita, currently co-manager of the Trump campaign, has been tapped to become the RNC’s chief operating officer.
Related: Donald Trump Makes Endorsements for New RNC Leadership
After beating former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley in her own home state’s primary by a 20-point margin, Trump declared that it “looks to me like [Whatley is] going to be going on to the national Republican party.”
“That’s my kind of guy,” he continued. “He had hundreds of lawyers … to make sure they didn’t cheat and they didn’t cheat in North Carolina [during the 2020 election].”
Trump’s picks are not guaranteed a position as a committee vote is required to appoint new officers, but party tradition and Trump’s sizable influence within the GOP mean that his preferred candidates will likely be confirmed.
McDaniel’s resignation will take effect on March 8th, just days after Super Tuesday, when more than a dozen delegate-rich states will hold primary elections. She has been the longest-serving leader of the Republican Party since the Civil War.
Connor Walcott is a staff writer for Valuetainment.com. Follow Connor on X and look for him on VT’s “The Unusual Suspects.”
Add comment