All Eyes on McDaniel as Race for RNC Chair Continues

As members of the Republican National Committee began arriving for their winter meeting in Dana Point, California, Jan. 25-28, one quickly picked up a sense of uncertainty about the race for national chairman that will be decided on Friday.

Even opponents of RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel agree that the three-term incumbent had the most committed votes among the 168-member committee.

But whether that would be enough for McDaniel to secure the majority of the RNC she needs to nail down a fourth consecutive two-year term was uncertain as of Tuesday.

Her strongest opponent is California GOP National Committeewoman Harmeet Dhillon, whose supporters say that after the party has either lost ground or failed to meet expectations in three successive elections since McDaniel became chair in 2017, it is time for a change.

The outcome of the race is made murkier by My Pillow magnate Mike Lindell, who recently secured the endorsements of party officials from three states and will therefore be permitted to be placed in nomination for chairman.

"It's very close right now, and I'd say less than 10 votes separate Ronna from Harmeet," said Louisiana National Committee member Roger Villere, an early Dhillon backer.

"I support Harmeet — anybody but McDaniel," Oregon National Committee member Solomon Yue flatly told Newsmax. "We need change!"

Yue, Villere, and other supporters of the Californian cited the complaints of grassroots Republicans in their home state that high-paid consultants — many of whom have ties to George W. Bush, Mitt Romney, and other past GOP presidential hopefuls — still wield considerable clout in the RNC. Dhillon has vowed to "clean the house."

But supporters of McDaniel argue that she has been a highly accessible chair and has overseen successful party-building.

"Ronna has done a great job for Montana," State GOP Chair Don Kaltschmidt told Newsmax. "She's helped turn our state from purple to bright red. We've won every statewide election since she became national chairman [in 2016]."

Kaltschmidt did admit that "there are a lot of grassroots activists pushing the other way" and calling for a new chair.

District of Columbia Republican Chair Pat Mara seconded Kaltschmidt, saying his party organization "never received such support in terms of money and staff until Ronna became chairman" and that's why he supported McDaniel.

Another McDaniel backer, Delaware National Committee member and Army National Guard Major Gen. Henry McCann, made the point that "if we wanted a new chairman, we should have elected one two years ago, but not when we'll be going into a presidential race in a few months. You don't change horses in midstream."

McCann added that with the party preparing for a presidential campaign soon, "we'd better come together no matter who is elected chairman."

John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.