Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel is open to a private question-and-answer style debate with rivals for her post, but refrained from considering one open to the public.
McDaniel is embroiled in a high-profile battle for another term as the RNC’s leader following her party’s underwhelming performance in the midterm elections. Amid Republican soul-searching, some have questioned her stewardship over the GOP, but she has swatted that off, seeking to avoid the “blame game” and pointing to split-ticket voting as a reason for the party’s midterm woes.
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“I’m always happy to talk to the 168. So I’m talking to them every day,” McDaniel told War Room podcast host Steve Bannon.
When pressed whether she would be open to doing a debate in a public forum, McDaniel demurred, asserting, “I’m interested in doing things in front of the 168 — that’s what I’m interested in doing.” “The 168” she referenced refers to the RNC’s 168 voting members who will determine the next RNC leader at the annual winter meeting.
She has already reportedly locked down commitments from over 100 members of the 168 voting bloc, making her the clear front-runner in the race.
Outgoing Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY) bowed out of the running for the position, but McDaniel is staring down competition from California lawyer Harmeet Dhillon and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, who have blamed her for much of the party’s midterm troubles.
Both McDaniel and Dhillon informed former President Donald Trump about their candidacy, but neither asked for his endorsement, seeking to uphold RNC rules calling for neutrality in the 2024 presidential primary, the Associated Press reported. Trump had effectively handpicked McDaniel for the post back in his White House days, but he reportedly did not attempt to dissuade Dhillon from challenging her.
Meanwhile, Lindell, who has trafficked heavily in 2020 election denialism, is running what is widely considered a long-shot bid for the post.
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McDaniel is not alone in facing midterm election blowback from the party. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) is facing a brutal path toward the speakership amid defections from the rightward flank of the House Republican caucus.
