Donald Trump has completed his acquisition of the Republican National Committee, appointing Michael Whatley as the new chair. Whatley, the former North Carolina GOP chair and RNC general counsel, takes over from Ronna McDaniel.
Lara Trump, daughter-in-law of Mr. Trump, has been elected as the vice-chair of the RNC, further solidifying the Trump family’s authority in determining how Republican campaign funds are allocated.
The RNC convened in Houston, Texas, where they elected Mr. Whatley and Ms. Trump to the highest positions.
Ms. McDaniel, who has held the position since 2017, emphasized the significance of addressing the issue of abortion and the recent Dobbs decision in her final remarks. She stated, “We cannot turn a blind eye to abortion and the impact of the Supreme Court’s decision.”
According to NBC News, she expressed her thoughts on the 2022 midterms, stating that “Many of our candidates chose to ignore this issue.” She emphasized the need to avoid speaking exclusively to a Republican echo chamber in order to achieve victory.
“The strength of our party is undeniable. Throughout the past year, the RNC has been diligently paving the way for our future nominee,” she emphasized.
The personnel change was already in progress before Super Tuesday. However, Mr. Trump’s impressive victories on March 5, where he only lost Vermont to his former UN ambassador Nikki Haley, who subsequently dropped out of the race on Wednesday, have solidified his position as the sole Republican candidate for the general election. This allows Mr. Trump to focus solely on his campaign for the upcoming election.
“We urge voters to cast their ballots early and ensure their votes are counted,” emphasized Ms. McDaniel, as reported by NBC. This comes despite years of unfounded claims by Mr. Trump, who has falsely criticized early voting as being susceptible to fraud.
“We must not let the Democrats continue to dominate in crucial states,” she emphasized. “If we can encourage Republicans to vote early, there is a high likelihood that Donald Trump will emerge victorious in the upcoming November election.”
The RNC is currently considering whether it should cover the substantial legal expenses of Mr. Trump, which have reached hundreds of millions of dollars. This discussion coincides with the recent changes in staffing at the organization.
In the 1980s, Maureen Reagan, President Ronald Reagan’s daughter, became the final family member of a president to assume the role of co-chair of the RNC.
In a recent interview with Reuters, Josh McKoon, the chair of the Georgia Republican Party and a member of the RNC, expressed his approval of the upcoming appointments of Mr. Whatley and Ms. Trump. He stated, “These moves make a lot of sense.”
“As we enter a presidential year, it is crucial to have all the financial resources available to effectively challenge an incumbent president,” he emphasized. He also noted the impressive fundraising and communications abilities of Ms. Trump while dismissing any concerns regarding conflicts of interest.
In a recent statement, Mr. Trump expressed his support for Mr. Whatley, a fellow election denier, as a potential successor to Ms. McDaniel.
“I believe that Michael Whatley would make an excellent leader for the RNC,” expressed Mr. Trump.
“Michael has been by my side since the very beginning. He has done an exceptional job in his home state of North Carolina and is deeply committed to ensuring election integrity. This is crucial in order to prevent any fraud and safeguard our elections from being stolen.”
“My incredibly talented daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, has agreed to take on the role of RNC co-chair. Lara is an exceptional communicator who wholeheartedly embraces the principles and values of the MAGA movement. She personally expressed her desire to embrace this exciting opportunity and I have no doubt that she will excel in this position!”
The new leadership must leverage their fundraising abilities as last year witnessed the lowest fundraising figures in a decade. According to federal filings, by the end of January, the RNC had just under $9 million, which is slightly over one-third of the $24 million held by the Democratic National Committee.
Last month, Ms. Trump made a statement indicating that she would allocate all the funds from the RNC towards the re-election of Mr. Trump. This raised concerns that she might not adequately support other candidates running for lower-level positions. However, she later clarified that she would also be allocating funds towards races for the House and Senate.
She raised new concerns about the RNC’s cash flow when she proposed that it would be beneficial for them to cover Mr. Trump’s legal expenses.
According to Mississippi RNC member Henry Barbour, wealthy individuals are hesitant to cover the expenses of their fellow affluent individuals.
One anonymous donor expressed their hesitation to make another donation, stating, “I declined their request to contribute again, explaining that I want to wait and see how things unfold before making any financial commitments.”
Chris LaCivita, the co-manager of the Trump campaign, stated that the Republican National Committee (RNC) will not utilize its funds for legal fees. Effective immediately, Mr. LaCivita will assume the position of chief operating officer at the RNC.
