After serving as the organization’s leader for seven years, Ronna McDaniel declared on Monday that she would be leaving the position next week.
March 8 is her planned departure date; that is, three days after Super Tuesday.
“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 said in a press release. “It has always been my aim to uphold the historical custom of the R.N.C. changing once we have a nominee.
“I remain committed to winning back the White House and electing Republicans up and down the ballot in November.”
The New York Times broke the news of McDaniels’ departure first.
Donald Trump encouraged McDaniel to accept the job soon after he was elected president in 2016.
Trump has been advocating for her replacement and openly supporting Michael Whatley, the chair of the North Carolina GOP, for the position. He has also named his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, as the next co-chair. Trump looks certain to secure the GOP nomination for the position this year.
Chris LaCivita was also elevated by the outgoing president to become the RNC’s chief operational officer.
This trio is incredibly intelligent, gifted, and experienced in combat. In a statement released on February 12, Trump declared, “They have my complete and total endorsement to lead the Republican National Committee.”
Trump said, according to ABC News, that the RNC will change after the GOP primary in South Carolina, which he won on Saturday.
The first female chair of the Republican National Committee, McDaniel had served as the party’s chair in Michigan prior to taking over as head of the national committee in 2017.
Just last year, McDaniel—the niece of Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah—won an unprecedented fourth term in government by an overwhelming majority.
McDaniel came under fire from some of Trump’s supporters for failing to call off the Republican debates for this cycle.
On the other hand, she has also received praise from former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., the chair of the Senate Republican campaign arm, and Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C.
According to the Times, McCarthy referred to McDaniel as a “strong leader” and claimed that she had a “instrumental role in helping us win back the House majority” after losing it in 2018.
“Her leadership in the party helped expand the electoral map and supported candidates that are now rising stars,” McCarthy stated.