Calls continue to grow for Ronna McDaniel to desist from seeking a fourth term as RNC chairwoman. Two committee members, Roger Villere of Louisiana and Solomon Yue of Oregon are asking McDaniel to step aside in favor of new leadership.
In a letter to McDaniel, Villere urged her to stay true to her word and not seek reelection. Just the News reports:
Villere, chairman of the Republican National Conservative Caucus (RNCC), told Just the News that McDaniel had previously informed RNC committee members on stage during a meeting that her current term would be her last. She publicly announced last month that she would be seeking another term.
“Here she is running again, and yet we’ve had three losing election cycles in a row,” Villere said. “Let’s get some new, fresh energy in there, and let’s win.”
It’s hard to fathom why McDaniel, after the Republicans’ dismal showing in the midterms and failure to deliver the goods in the Georgia Senate runoff, feels emboldened to remain in a leadership position. RedState’s Bonchie had some thoughts on this yesterday, writing, “Every single time McDaniel appears in public, she makes the case for her own ouster. The record is what the record is, and no amount of gaslighting will change that. She has not overseen a successful election since taking power, and people are suffering because of it.”
RNC committee Yue spoke of his own unique perspective as an immigrant, telling Just the News:
“I was born in communist China, survived Mao’s Cultural Revolution, and found freedom in America,” said Yue. “I have been very concerned about whether or not we can keep this Republic since we lost the White House in 2020. I have also seen Biden’s Cancel Cultural Revolution happening everywhere in America.”
Yue said he has lost confidence in McDaniel’s “leadership based on her past performance” and if the “RNC fails to deliver the White House win in 2024, this time we lose America.”
Sources close to multiple RNC committee members tell RedState that the number of committee members listed as supporting McDaniel in the latest letter of support is inaccurate. Vallere validates that claim by indicating grassroots Republicans he’s spoken to are clamoring for a change at the top, particularly after Herschel Walker’s consequential loss in Georgia on Tuesday.
Lee Zeldin has declined to run for RNC chair, saying McDaniel has rigged the vote, but there are still two others vying for the spot: Harmeet Dhillon and Mike Lindell. Dhillon’s candidacy seems to be gaining steam fast, having just picked up the endorsement of conservative media heavyweight Laura Ingraham. On her show last night, Ingraham said, “It’s time to look for new leadership that will revitalize the RNC and help the party move to victory after victory in 2024. And that would mean supporting our next guest” — Harmeet Dhillon.
The RNC race is one of two important contests where establishment Republicans are being challenged by the more conservative and action-oriented wing of their party. Kevin McCarthy, presumed to be a shoo-in as Speaker of the House when Republicans take over in January, does not currently have the votes he needs to win. It’s an inflection point for the party and the results of these races will show which way it intends to go.
The next RNC chairman will be elected in late January in Dana Point, California.
