Days after current Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel announced her resignation, former President Donald Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, announced her candidacy for RNC Co-Chair.
.@WhatleyNCGOP will do an incredible job! It will be my honor to work along side him for the future of this country — I’m excited to officially announce my candidacy for co-chair of the RNC.
I promise you that I will be laser-focused on election integrity, voter turn out, and…— Lara Trump (@LaraLeaTrump) February 27, 2024
Lara Trump wrote a letter to the RNC’s 168 members stating that she had “the endorsement of my father-in-law and 45th president, Donald J. Trump, for this position.”
“In the coming days, I look forward to connecting with you, the members of the RNC, and hopefully earning your vote,” the letter continued.
Donald Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, suggested earlier this month that it was time for a change in RNC leadership after poor performances in recent election cycles. A few days later, Trump got his wish.
McDaniel, along with Co-Chair Drew McKissick, announced Monday that they would both be stepping down from their posts on March 8 leaving room for new leadership to take over.
The former president, even before officially receiving the GOP nomination, has already endorsed his choices for the two positions with Lara Trump his choice for Co-Chair, and Michael Whatley his choice for RNC Chairman.
The election will take place in Houston on March 8 and both Lara Trump and Whatley must win a majority of support from the 168 RNC members to be elected to the leadership positions. With the presumptive GOP nominee’s support, both candidates are expected to win easily.
Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, who is also Trump’s lone remaining hurdle to the nomination, said that Trump was trying to take over the RNC in order to take control of the finances.
“I don’t want the RNC to become his piggy bank for his personal court cases,” Haley told CNN this month. “Now we see him trying to get control of the RNC so he can continue not to have to pay his own legal fees.”
Chris LaCivita, a senior adviser on Trump’s campaign who could also join the new RNC leadership said, “The primary is over, and it is the RNC’s sole responsibility to defeat Joe Biden and win back the White House.”
