On Friday, the Republican National Committee (RNC) will select a new leader, concluding a contest that has challenged the leadership of current Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, according to The Hill.
The Republican National Committee elected Ronna McDaniel as chairwoman for a fourth term on Friday, with McDaniel winning by 111 to 51 votes in a single round of voting, making her the longest-serving chairperson since the beginning of the 20th century.
McDaniel had the support of former President Donald Trump.
McDaniel, appointed by former President Trump in 2016, faced competition from Harmeet Dhillon, legal counsel for Trump’s 2020 campaign, and Mike Lindell, CEO of MyPillow.
A majority vote from the committee’s 168 members was required for her to secure another term.
Despite being the front-runner, McDaniel’s campaign for re-election has faced a significant challenge from Dhillon due to the Republican party’s perceived lack of success in the November elections.
On Thursday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) entered the RNC chair race, declaring that the RNC needed fresh leadership and expressing support for candidate Harmeet Dhillon.
Though all three RNC candidates have connections to former President Donald Trump, DeSantis’ involvement adds a new perspective to the competition, with an emphasis on the 2024 presidential election.
Dhillon criticized McDaniel over allegations of misspending and mismanagement of funds.
In the past, McDaniel was caught spending millions of donor dollars on personal expenses.
The records reveal expenses totaling over $100,000 for hair and makeup services, as well as dry cleaning. These expenses are likely for McDaniel’s media appearances and wardrobe maintenance. The dry cleaning expenses have been classified as office supplies or travel expenses, while the hair and makeup services have been classified as media preparation.
McDaniel is said to have spent a significant amount of money on various luxury expenses, including $3.1 million on private jet services, $1.3 million on limousine and chauffeur services, $17.1 million on gifts for donors, $750,000 on floral decorations, and $80,000 on alcohol-related expenses.
The expenses in question included luxurious items such as private jets, limousine services, tickets to NFL games and Broadway shows, retreats for senior staff members, and purchases from high-end brands.
McDaniel has denied these allegations, stating that they are “blatantly false.”
Despite this, McDaniel has had enough support to win a fourth term as the Republican party leader. An endorsement letter that was circulated earlier this month revealed that over 100 current RNC members have pledged their support for the incumbent. This substantial support base gave her enough votes to win the election.
