Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., said he will not run for Republican National Committee chair, but added that party leadership needs "fresh blood."
Zeldin, who ran strong in losing last month's New York gubernatorial race, had said during the weekend that he was "seriously considering" running to replace RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel.
On Wednesday morning, he posted on social media to say he would not enter the RNC race because McDaniel's reelection was "pre-baked."
"RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel should not run for a 4th term," Zeldin tweeted on his personal account. "I won't be running for RNC Chair at this time with McDaniel's reelection pre-baked by design, but that doesn't mean she should even be running again.
"It's time the GOP elects new leadership! It's time for fresh blood!"
McDaniel is among Republican leaders who have been criticized following the party's disappointing performance in the midterms.
Zeldin's Wednesday tweet was accompanied by a press release that included a lengthier statement.
"Change is desperately needed, and there are many leaders, myself included, ready and willing to step up to ensure our party retools and transforms as critical elections fast approach, namely the 2024 Presidential and Congressional races," Zeldin said.
"However, the issue is Chairwoman McDaniel's re-election appears to already be pre-baked, as if the disappointing results of every election during her tenure, including yesterday in Georgia, do not and should not even matter."
The lawmaker was referring to the Georgia U.S. Senate runoff in which Sen. Raphael Warnock was projected by Newsmax to defeat Republican Herschel Walker.
Zeldin said the Republican Party needs to become "more successful at fundraising, more efficient with spending, sharper with ballot collection and election integrity efforts, smarter with messaging, more present in Democrat strongholds, and more connected to the grassroots."
He added that the RNC needs to work more closely with state and local party organizations, and allow "new leadership to rise through its ranks."
"The Republican Party must more heavily lean into candidate recruitment, campaign management, volunteer engagement, and voter registration," he said.
Zeldin last month lost to Democrat Gov. Kathy Hochul in one of New York's closest gubernatorial races in two decades.
An Army Reserve lieutenant colonel who has represented eastern Long Island in Congress since 2015, Zeldin was a vocal defender of then-President Donald Trump during Trump's two impeachments.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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