Rona McDaniel, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, told members she plans to seek re-election for another term — with the hope of leading the party in the 2024 presidential campaign, according to people with knowledge of a conference call Monday. As backlash mounts over a disappointing midterm election cycle for Republicans, and after Democrats regained their majority in the Senate, discontent is spilling into public view as the party moves into House, Senate and RNC leadership elections.
In an early afternoon call, McDaniel told members she intended to run for a fourth term — and asked for their support. He has received private support from about 100 members, an aide said, even as appetite for new leadership runs through some sections of the party. She was first tapped to lead the RNC when former President Donald Trump took office. The two have worked closely together over the past five years, with occasional announcements, but he has not publicly stated his intentions on who he would like to see lead the national party. Potential challengers: A potential challenger could emerge from South Dakota as Gov. Christie Noem fielded calls from top GOP donors urging her to make a bid for the RNC chairmanship, according to CNN. Sources familiar with the matter said Noem, who was re-elected last Tuesday, has reached out to several major RNC donors seeking a change in leadership after a crushing midterm cycle for Republicans.
“I think the party would love to have another female president,” said a person familiar with Noem’s drafting effort. The commission’s constitution stipulates that the chair and co-chair must be of the opposite sex. Noem’s communications director Ian Fury refused to “confirm or deny” efforts to recruit Noem for the high-profile position. It is unclear whether Noem is interested in the job at this time. Sources said the South Dakota Republican, who has previously been floated as a potential vice presidential candidate if Donald Trump mounts a successful bid for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, received a call from the former president shortly after her re-election. He has been invited to appear at his expected 2024 campaign announcement on Tuesday, these sources said. Republican Rep. Lee Zeldin, who mounted a better-than-expected but ultimately unsuccessful bid for New York governor this year, also has calls encouraging him to run for RNC chairman, a source with knowledge of the talks told CNN . NBC initially reported that Zeldin was getting calls encouraging him to run. Meanwhile, Tommy Hicks, the committee’s co-chairman, said in a statement Monday that he will not seek re-election to a third term. Hicks, who has served as co-chair for four years, said in a letter to RNC members that it was time to focus on his family.
Trump also maintains a close relationship with McDaniel and Hicks, although Republicans are speculating whether there will be a shakeup at the RNC after Tuesday’s disappointing GOP midterm results. After the midterms, “someone new needs to run and clean house at the RNC,” a Trump adviser told CNN.