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☆ Newly minted RNC chair Lara Trump says they've got lawsuits cooking in 81 states. There are 50 states.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Advertisement"We have lawsuits in 81 states right now," Trump told Bolling. "Maybe there are 81 states in the future and she's a time traveler," an X user named Mike Freeman said in a post. AdvertisementLate-night host Jimmy Kimmel couldn't resist mocking Lara Trump either when he referenced the moment in his monologue on Wednesday night. "In 81 states! Last week, she fired back when a viewer questioned her intellect on her podcast, "The Right View with Lara Trump."

Persons: —, Lara Trump, — who's, Donald Trump's, Eric —, we're, Eric Bolling, Jocelyn Benson, Trump, Bolling, 3vZ8mRYvgE —, Mike Freeman, Jimmy Kimmel, they're, Kimmel, Donald Trump, Michael Whatley, Lara, MAGA, hasn't, Lara Trump's Organizations: Service, Republican National, RNC, Business, South Virginia ., North, North Carolina GOP Locations: Tennessee, . West Dakota, South Virginia, South Virginia . Indiana, North Carolina

☆ Trump campaign and RNC pledge to unleash thousands to monitor vote counting in battleground states
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Fredreka Schouten | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The Trump campaign and Republican National Committee are pledging to deploy 100,000 volunteers and lawyers to monitor vote counting across battleground states this year – part of what officials describe as a stepped-up focus on “election integrity” by the national party. As the party’s presumptive presidential nominee, Trump now controls the RNC and recently installed a new chairman, Michael Whatley, and his daughter-in-law Lara Trump as party co-chair. “Having the right people to count the ballots is just as important as turning out voters on Election Day,” Trump said in a statement. It’s not unusual for political parties and candidates to work to recruit and deploy lawyers and partisan poll watchers to protect their interests as voters cast their ballots and election officials tally the results. Spies promised aggressive legal action if officials deviate from established election procedures or “try to change them at the last minute.”The new election monitoring program comes as the RNC has engaged in dozens of election-related lawsuits around the country.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Trump, Michael Whatley, Lara Trump, “, ” Trump, hotlines, It’s, –, Charlie Spies, ” “, we’re, ”, Spies Organizations: CNN, Trump, Republican National Committee, Politico, RNC, Republicans, GOP

☆ GOP leaders pursue new lawsuits over 2024 election rules – including attacking methods of voting they want supporters to use
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-11 | by ( Fredreka Schouten | Tierney Sneed | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

“What he has said is that we would like ultimately there to only be voting on Election Day. Republican attorneys have filed an assortment of lawsuits across the county that vary in both what types of election rules they target and how seriously election law experts believe the case should be taken. The legal fight against mail voting has taken GOP lawyers to states beyond the typical presidential battlegrounds. In addition to the case targeting Mississippi’s post-election day mail ballot receipt deadline, Republicans filed a lawsuit challenging the major expansion of mail voting enacted by New York lawmakers last year. To arrive at the claim that the states’ voter rolls are bloated, Republicans are using a formula that has previously been rebuked in federal court.

Persons: Donald Trump, baselessly, Trump, Mike Johnson, “, ” Michael Whatley, that’s, ” Whatley, Whatley –, –, Rick Hasen, don’t, ” Hasen, Derek Muller, ” Muller, litigators don’t, ”, Justin Levitt, Muller, CNN’s Ariel Edwards, Levy, David Wright Organizations: CNN, Republican, Republican National Committee, Mississippi Republican Party, Magnolia, GOP, Republicans, Democrats, Trump, Trump’s, Fox News, Republican Party, RNC, University of Notre Dame, Fox, New, National Conference of State Legislatures, Pew Research Center, Democratic, Pew, The New, The New York City Council, Vermont, Loyola Law School, Biden White Locations: Magnolia State, Pennsylvania, Ohio , Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, Wisconsin, “, California, Colorado, Hawaii , Nevada , Oregon , Utah , Vermont, Washington, Mississippi, New York, Michigan , Wisconsin , Ohio, Arizona, New York City, United States, The New York, – Nevada, Michigan, Nevada

☆ RNC under Lara Trump spreads ‘massive fraud’ claims about 2020 election
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Andrew Kaczynski | Em Steck | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Lara Trump has a long history of echoing his election fraud claims, according to a CNN KFile analysis of her past statements as a commentator and surrogate for the former president. There is no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election, as even some state GOP election officials and former Trump Attorney General William Barr have acknowledged. But in the years since the 2020 election, Lara Trump has continued to push claims of fraud. In the same interview, Trump also added the GOP needed to “trust mail-in voting.”Neither the RNC nor Lara Trump responded to multiple requests for comment. “No, we don’t believe that.”On her internet show and podcast, and in public events, she often spread outlandish and nonsensical claims about the 2020 election.

Persons: Lara Trump, Donald Trump, Donald Trump’s, “, Trump, ”, CNN’s KFile, Michael Whatley, Drew McKissick, Ronna McDaniel, William Barr, who’s, Joe Biden’s “, ” Trump, Cecile Clocheret, Biden, Joe Biden, Lara, They’re, We’re Organizations: CNN, Republican National Committee, RNC, GOP, Trump, Republicans, NBC, ”, Getty, Biden, US Census Bureau, Pew Research Locations: American, Houston, AFP, South Carolina, United States

CNN —Top officials at the Republican National Committee are denying reports that there is a “litmus test” for those seeking employment related to whether they believe the 2020 election was stolen. Election fraud has been a key focus for the Donald Trump campaign and the newly elected leadership at the RNC ahead of the 2024 election. Much of that focus stems from the former president’s dissatisfaction with how the RNC handled claims of election fraud around the 2020 election, multiple sources familiar with the matter have said. There is no evidence of widespread election fraud in the last presidential contest. CLARIFICATION: This headline and story have been updated to reflect that reports of a “litmus test” regarding the 2020 election apply to those who were reapplying for positions with the RNC.

Persons: Donald Trump, they’ve, Trump, Joe Biden, Ronna McDaniel, McDaniel, Drew McKissick, Trump’s, Michael Whatley, Lara Trump, –, Chris LaCivita, James Blair, LaCivita, Blair Organizations: CNN, Republican National Committee, RNC

☆ Trump-backed GOP leaders call for embrace of early and mail-in voting even as former president continues to cast doubt
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Daniel Strauss | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

That’s very much a state-by-state process.”“Republicans will have to develop that if they decide they want to push mail voting and early voting or both. Republicans’ uneven approach to early voting reached an apex during the pandemic when Trump would regularly cast doubt on the safety and security of voting by mail or voting early. “Vote early. Vote early. But the danger for Republicans is that disillusionment with mail-in voting or voting early, fueled in large part by Trump, might be too deeply baked into party sentiment.

Persons: Donald Trump, “ We’ll, ”, Lara Trump, we’re, ” Lara Trump, Michael Whatley, ” Whatley, –, Barry Burden, ” Burden, “, Glenn Youngkin, I’m, ” Youngkin, Ronna McDaniel, Tennessee Sen, Bill Hagerty, Byron Donalds, Trump, ” Trump, don’t, “ there’s, you’ve, Schouten, Kate Sullivan Organizations: CNN, Top Republican, GOP, Republican National Committee, Fox News, RNC, Trump, Republican, Party, Elections Research, University of Wisconsin -, MIT, Science, Britain’s, Virginia Gov, Virginia, ‘ Bank, House Republican, Tennessee, Florida Rep, Bank, Republicans, Pew Research Locations: Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Iowa, Nevada , Arizona, Wisconsin

☆ People seeking employment at RNC asked whether they believe the 2020 election was stolen
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Alayna Treene | Daniel Strauss | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —People seeking employment at the Republican National Committee have been asked in recent job interviews whether they believe the 2020 election was stolen, according to two sources familiar with the questioning. Use of the question comes after the Trump campaign has effectively merged its operations with the RNC. A key focus for the Trump campaign, and newly elected leadership at the RNC, ahead of the 2024 election is election fraud. Much of that focus stems from former President Donald Trump’s dissatisfaction with how the RNC handled claims of election fraud around the 2020 election, multiple sources familiar with the matter said. While chairwoman of the RNC, McDaniel refused to acknowledge that Biden won the 2020 election.

Persons: Trump, Donald Trump’s, “, Danielle Alvarez, Joe Biden, Ronna McDaniel, Nikki Haley, glided, Trump’s, Michael Whatley, Lara Trump –, Chris LaCivita, James Blair, LaCivita, Blair, NBC’s “, ” McDaniel, Lara Trump, Biden, McDaniel Organizations: CNN —, Republican National Committee, RNC, The Washington Post, CNN, Trump, South Carolina Gov, Republican, GOP, – North, – North Carolina GOP, Press, NBC News Locations: West Palm Beach , Florida, – North Carolina, Houston , Texas, United States, Michigan, Detroit

☆ Former RNC chair McDaniel calls January 6 Capitol attack ‘unacceptable’ after years of deflection
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-24 | by ( Casey Gannon | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Former Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel on Sunday called the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol “unacceptable” after years of deflecting on the issue. McDaniel, who is joining NBC News as a political analyst after exiting the RNC earlier this month, told the outlet that the Capitol riot “doesn’t represent our country. It certainly does not represent my party.”“We should not be attacking the Capitol; we should not be having violence,” she added. Asked why she didn’t offer such condemnation as RNC chairwoman, McDaniel responded, “When you’re the RNC chair, you kind of take one for the whole team. McDaniel acknowledged Sunday that Biden won the 2020 election “fair and square” even as she voiced concern over “issues” with the vote.

Persons: Ronna McDaniel, McDaniel, ”, Donald Trump, Trump, “, Michael Whatley, Lara Trump, ” McDaniel, Joe Biden, Biden, we’ve, … we’ve, ” CNN’s Oliver Darcy, Kaitlan Collins, Daniel Strauss, Michelle Shen, Avery Lotz Organizations: CNN, Former Republican National, Capitol, NBC News, RNC, GOP, Trump, ”, NBC, ” The Michigan Department, Michigan Locations: Michigan, Detroit

☆ New RNC memo gives details of merger with Trump campaign
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Daniel Strauss | Brian Rokus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Republican National Committee members have received a three-page memo from Chairman Michael Whatley announcing and explaining various aspects of the RNC’s merger with the Trump campaign. “As is tradition and governed by applicable law, the RNC is merging operations with the Trump campaign. The memo also announces the hires Whatley has made, including a slate of new lawyers who will focus on election fraud claims. Whatley’s memo also said the RNC is planning to keep its community centers and the Bank Your Vote program. Whatley also said the RNC has completed a joint fundraising agreement with the Trump campaign and has brought in a data liaison to work with other Republican committees and state parties.

Persons: Michael Whatley, Trump, Donald Trump, Donald Trump’s, ” Whatley, Whatley, Lara Trump, Biden, “ Lara Trump, CNN’s Piper Hudspeth Blackburn, Kristen Holmes, Marshall Cohen Organizations: CNN — Republican National Committee, GOP, RNC, North Carolina Republican Party, CNN

The swift changes amount to a gutting of the party apparatus eight months before the November election, with one person familiar with the operations estimating that the R.N.C. had only about 200 people on payroll at the end of February, and about 120 at its headquarters near Capitol Hill. On Friday, Michael Whatley, a close ally to Mr. Trump, and Lara Trump, the former president’s daughter-in-law, were unanimously elected as the committee’s chair and co-chair. Mr. Trump had pushed out Ronna McDaniel, the committee’s leader since 2017, and endorsed Mr. Whatley and Ms. Trump to take the reins of the national party. Chris LaCivita, one of Mr. Trump’s top campaign advisers, was tapped to serve as the chief operating officer, and he was at the party headquarters meeting with senior staff on Monday.

Persons: Donald J, Michael Whatley, Trump, Lara Trump, Ronna McDaniel, Mr, Whatley, Chris LaCivita, Trump’s Organizations: Republican National Committee Locations: Capitol Hill

☆ RNC lays off dozens of staffers days after Trump’s team takes over
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Daniel Strauss | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —The Republican National Committee began laying off dozens of staffers on Monday, days after Donald Trump’s handpicked team took the reins of the organization, according to two Republican operatives with knowledge of the dismissals. The layoffs affect staffers across multiple departments including data, communications and the political operation, the sources said. The cuts also go beyond senior staff to vendors and mid-level employees, one of the Republican operatives said. Last week the body of 168 RNC members elected Michael Whatley, the North Carolina Republican Party chairman, its new chairperson, succeeding Ronna McDaniel. LaCivita quickly brought on Sean Cairncross, who has held positions at the organization, as his number two.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Michael Whatley, Ronna McDaniel, Chris LaCivita, Trump, LaCivita, Sean Cairncross Organizations: CNN, Republican National Committee, Republican, Politico, North Carolina Republican Party, RNC

WASHINGTON (AP) — Just days after installing his new leadership team at the Republican National Committee, Donald Trump's lieutenants are cutting dozens of staff across key departments in an aggressive move that further cements the former president's takeover of the GOP's political and fundraising machinery. More than 60 people were fired in all, including senior staff in the political, data and communications departments inside the committee's Washington headquarters. The cuts also included staff that ran the committee’s celebrated community centers, which were focused on building relationships with minority groups in some Democratic-leaning states. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., celebrated news of the staffing cuts, suggesting they send a clear message about the direction of the GOP. In her farewell address Friday, McDaniel insisted that the Republican Party must come together in order to defeat President Joe Biden this fall.

Persons: —, Donald Trump's, Marjorie Taylor Greene, “ MAGA, ” Greene, ”, Lara Trump, Michael Whatley, Ronna McDaniel, Trump, Chris LaCivita, LaCivita, Sean Cairncross, Whatley, ” Cairncross, “, McDaniel, Joe Biden Organizations: WASHINGTON, Republican National Committee, Democratic, GOP, Republican Party, North Carolina GOP, RNC, Trump, The Associated Press, Politico Locations: Washington, Houston, North Carolina

After the 2020 election, one story out of North Carolina had a powerful effect on Donald J. Trump. A proactive Republican, the story went, had worked behind the scenes to stop Democrats from stealing the election in the state and helped secure Mr. Trump’s victory there. That Republican was Michael Whatley, the chairman of the North Carolina G.O.P. Mr. Trump called Mr. Whatley after the election, and Mr. Whatley boasted to him about that program’s success. “That’s great,” Mr. Trump replied, as Mr. Whatley recounted the conversation in a speech to North Carolina Republicans last year.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Michael Whatley, Whatley, “, Mr, Ronna McDaniel Organizations: Republican, Mr, Carolina G.O.P, North Carolina Republicans, Republican National Locations: North Carolina, Carolina, North, Arizona, Georgia

Former President Donald Trump and his allies on the Republican National Committee want to convince Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to speak at the GOP convention in July, people familiar with the matter told CNBC. It is not clear if Trump or his allies have raised the idea with Musk. Musk previously voiced support for the Republican presidential candidacy of Florida Gov. "He said the other day, 'Oh, I've never voted for a Republican,' " Trump said at that rally. Thiel also said in that interview that Trump's presidential administration, which spanned January 2017 to January 2021, was "crazier" and "more dangerous than I thought."

Persons: Trump, Steve Bannon, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Tesla, Joe Biden, sitdown, Nikki Haley, Trump's, Peter Thiel, Ronna McDaniel, Michael Whatley, Musk, Lara Trump, Biden, Ron DeSantis, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, I've, Musk baselessly, Thiel, Trump . Thiel Organizations: SpaceX, Tesla, Washington , DC, Republican National Committee, GOP, CNBC, Republican, Trump, Super, PayPal, Republican National Convention, RNC, Representatives, Florida Gov, Trump White, Democrats, U.S, Capitol, Truth, Biden, Facebook, Trump . Locations: Washington ,, Milwaukee , Wisconsin, Palm Beach , Florida, Carolina, Florida, United States, Paris, Texas, Georgia

☆ Trump’s takeover of Republican National Committee is official as McDaniel steps down
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Alayna Treene | Daniel Strauss | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

A national committee is typically overhauled after the party has a de facto or official presidential nominee. The changes normally come in the form of a new chairperson or a top official from the presidential campaign moving over to the committee. These resources are critical to Trump’s campaign as it makes plans to build out teams in key battleground states such as Michigan, Georgia, Arizona and Pennsylvania in the coming weeks and months. “The Republican National Committee will be focused like a laser on getting out the vote and protecting the ballot,” Whatley said in his remarks Friday. Trump’s senior advisers, including LaCivita, insist they have no plans to use the RNC to help pay his legal expenses.

Persons: Donald Trump, Trump’s, Michael Whatley, Lara Trump –, Ronna McDaniel, Drew McKissick, “, ” Lara Trump, Eric Trump, Chris LaCivita, James Blair, LaCivita, Blair, aren’t, Trump, “ It’s, it’s, ” David Bossie, it’ll, Joe Biden, ” Whatley, Gilbert Flores, McDaniel, ”, Whatley, Lara Trump, Jonathan Drake, Trump “, LaCivita — Organizations: Houston CNN, Republican Party, Republican National, – North, – North Carolina GOP, RNC, CNN, Trump, Republican National Convention, Republican National Committee, Republican, Reagan, Variety, Michigan GOP, Hilton, Whatley, North, North Carolina GOP, Republicans, North Carolina Republican, GOP, Democratic National Committee, White Locations: – North Carolina, Maryland, Michigan, Georgia, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Simi Valley , California, “, Carolina, North Carolina, Greenville , North Carolina

Trump campaign officials are finalizing a takeover of the Republican National Committee this week and looking to expand their field operation. Biden and Trump will each hold events in Georgia on Saturday, a week after they did simultaneous U.S.-Mexico border trips in Texas. The Biden campaign and the Democratic National Committee have vastly outraised Republicans so far. The Biden campaign reported $56 million on hand at the end of January, according to federal disclosures, while Trump’s campaign reported a balance of $30.5 million. Asked what he thinks about the prospects of flipping New York to Trump, LaCivita laughed and said, “I do what the boss says.

Persons: — Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Biden's, Trump, Biden, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Biden blistered Trump, ”, ” Trump, skewering Biden, it’s, “ We’re, Hillary Clinton, Dan Kanninen, ” Kanninen, Barack Obama, Sean McEnerney, Kanninen, “, ’, Chris LaCivita, we’ll, ” LaCivita, LaCivita, Lara Trump, Michael Whatley, That's, LaCivita's, buildout, ___ Weissert, Jill Colvin Organizations: ATLANTA, Trump, Biden, Republican National Committee, Republican, firebrand, Democratic, Republican National, Democratic National Committee, Republicans, RNC, Florida, Democrats, North, DNC, New, Associated Press Locations: Georgia, Mexico, Texas, Atlanta, U.S, Ukraine, Israel, Arizona , Florida, Michigan, Nevada , North Carolina , Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Florida, North Carolina, Nevada, Arizona, Spanish, Maryvale, Phoenix, Virginia, Houston, Jacksonville , Florida, York , California, New York , California, Montana, New York, Trump, Washington, Palm Beach , Florida

He has encouraged the team to make a concerted effort to host his events at smaller, less costly venues, according to conversations with multiple Trump advisers. Mismatched and functional is the decor of the Trump campaigns’ offices,” a senior Trump adviser told CNN. And those figures don’t even include his mounting legal bills as he faces 91 charges in four criminal indictments. This fund, which reported raising $1.5 million through the end of last year, will continue to be utilized, Trump’s advisers say. One RNC member recently authored a resolution that seeks to ban the RNC from paying Trump’s legal bills.

Persons: Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Susie Wiles, Uber, Susie, Wiles, Chris LaCivita, ” LaCivita, you’re, Trump, that’s, ”, “, Jean Carroll, CNN Trump, Trump’s, —, Michael Whatley, Lara Trump, Brian Snyder, Reuters LaCivita Organizations: CNN, Trump, Save America PAC, Make, Inc, White, Save America, Republican, GOP, Biden, Democratic National Committee, Republican National Committee, America, Patriot Legal Defense, RNC, North Carolina, Reuters Locations: New York, York, Manhattan, America, —, Durham , New Hampshire

☆ For Trump and Biden, attention on North Carolina will linger well past Super Tuesday
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-02 | by ( Steve Contorno | Jeff Zeleny | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

North Carolina, which Trump narrowly won in 2020, is emerging as a critical piece of Biden’s reelection strategy. It has been 16 years since Barack Obama delivered a North Carolina surprise in 2008. Former President Donald Trump gestures after speaking at the North Carolina Republican Party convention in Greensboro on June 10, 2023. She isn’t sure how much longer Republicans can hold the line in North Carolina. “Yes, we have had more growth in our urban communities, and it’s going to make North Carolina trend bluer in the future,” Anderson said.

Persons: North Carolina CNN — Donald Trump, Nikki Haley, Joe Biden, ”, Paul Shumaker, “ It’s, Haley, Kamala Harris, ” Harris, Barack Obama, Biden, Donald Trump, Chuck Burton, Sarah Reidy, Jones, Charlotte ” –, “, Trump, ” Haley, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins of, Will Trump, Haley’s, Harris, Peter Zay, scoff, Billy Ward, ” Trump, Susie Wiles didn’t, battlegrounds “, ” Wiles, Michael Whatley, Ronna McDaniel, Whatley, MAGA, Thom Tillis, Mark Robinson, Robinson, Roy Cooper, Ben McKeown, Anderson Clayton, ” Clayton, we’ve, ” Anderson, CNN’s Alayna Treene Organizations: North Carolina CNN, Republican, Trump, Democratic, North Carolina Republican Party, GOP, South, Biden, White, College, Duke University, University of North, Getty, Wake County Republican Party, CNN, North, North Carolina GOP, Republican National Committee, Republicans, Gov, state’s Democratic Party, Conservative, “ Locations: Raleigh, North Carolina, Michigan, “ North Carolina, Durham, Wake County, Mecklenburg County, Charlotte, Wake, Mecklenburg, –, Greensboro, Seattle, South Carolina, Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Carolina, University of North Carolina, Durham , North Carolina, Anadolu, GOP’s, Raleigh , North Carolina, Russia, Ukraine, Southern

☆ Nikki Haley says Trump wants to 'control' the RNC and use it as a 'piggy bank' for his legal battles
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( John L. Dorman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

"We see him trying to get control of the RNC, so he can continue not to have to pay his own legal fees,” she told CNN. Trump's fundraising committees spent roughly $50 million in 2023 on legal fees, FEC filings show. I don't want the RNC to become his piggy bank for his personal court cases," Haley said. “Now we see him trying to get control of the RNC so he can continue not to have to pay his own legal fees,” Haley continued. "All of that is so that he has an arm to pay his legal fees.

Persons: Nikki Haley, ”, Donald Trump, Haley, Kaitlan Collins, Trump, Jean Carroll, Carroll, We've, ” Haley, Michael Whatley, Ronna McDaniel, Lara Trump, Trump's Organizations: RNC, CNN, GOP, Republican National Committee, Senate, North Carolina Republican Party, South Carolina, Republican

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump is calling for a shakeup at the highest levels of the Republican National Committee. The new co-chair, Trump said, should be his daughter-in-law Lara Trump. The Republican National Committee is the governing body of the national Republican Party and runs the GOP's political machine. But make no mistake, Trump — not McDaniel — has been the real leader of the Republican Party over the last eight years. That's because the Republican president — or the Republican presidential nominee — effectively controls the RNC.

Persons: — Donald Trump, Ronna McDaniel, McDaniel, Michael Whatley, Trump, Lara Trump, Donald Trump, handpick Ronna McDaniel, Utah Sen, Mitt Romney, she's, Trump —, McDaniel —, Steve Bannon, Charlie Kirk, Vivek Ramaswamy, MAGA, Trump's, That's, ”, Joe Biden, —, Nikki Haley, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner Organizations: Republican National Committee, Trump, South, North, North Carolina GOP, RNC, Republican Party, Republican, White, GOP, Department, U.S, Senate Locations: North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington, Utah, Michigan, Iowa, New Hampshire, South

Trump is aiming to wrest control of the RNC by muscling Whatley through in an orchestrated ouster of the organization's current chair, Ronna McDaniel. Yet for much of his professional life, Whatley's political sensibilities appeared to align far more closely with the party’s mainstream and corporate establishment. Later, he clerked for a federal judge in North Carolina before departing for Washington as Bush campaigned for the presidency. And a lot of people in North Carolina don’t think he was elected fair,” said Anderson Clayton, chairwoman of the North Carolina Democratic Party. Art Pope, a North Carolina businessman and major conservative donor, said Whatley was well-equipped to lead the organization.

Persons: Michael Whatley, Donald Trump zeroed, Whatley, Trump, George W, Bush, “, ”, John Kane Jr, MAGA, muscling Whatley, Ronna McDaniel, Joe Biden, Sigal Chattah, Whatley's, Jesse Helms, ” Whatley, Sen, Elizabeth Dole, HBW, Anderson Clayton, Pope, Donald Trump's Organizations: WASHINGTON, Republican National Committee, North, North Carolina GOP, longtime Washington, RNC, Trump, McDaniel’s, Watauga High School, Notre Dame, Republicans, Conservative Political, Department of Energy, North Carolina Republican, Patriot, Resources, Keystone XL, U.S, Consumer Energy Alliance, Chevron, ExxonMobil, British Petroleum, North Carolina Republican Party, Republican Party, North Carolina Democratic Party, Democratic National Committee, Republican National Locations: North Carolina, Whatley's, Nevada, Notre, Washington, Broward County , Florida, Bush's, Alberta, Canada, Ohio , Wisconsin, South Carolina, Carolina

“The RNC MUST be a good partner in the presidential election,” Mr. Trump wrote in his statement. “Lara is an extremely talented communicator and is dedicated to all that MAGA stands for,” Mr. Trump said of his daughter-in-law, who is married to his middle son, Eric. The Times had previously reported that Mr. Trump wanted Mr. Whatley — a supporter of his false claims about widespread voter fraud — as the next R.N.C. An election must be called to replace Ms. McDaniel when she ultimately decides to step down. But Ms. Haley is trailing Mr. Trump in South Carolina, her home state, as well as in Super Tuesday states.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Ronna McDaniel, Lara Trump, ” Mr, ” Michael Whatley, “ Lara, MAGA, Eric, “, Ms, Whatley —, McDaniel, Whatley, Chris LaCivita, Mr, ” Ms, Trump’s, Nikki Haley, Haley Organizations: Republican National Committee, national Party, North Carolina Republican Party, ”, New York Times, The Times, U.S . Senate, Trump, South Carolina, Republican National Convention, United Nations, Mr Locations: North Carolina, South Carolina, Super, New Hampshire

☆ Trump Backs His Candidate for R.N.C. Chair, and His Daughter-in-Law for Co-Chair
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-12 | by ( Maggie Haberman | Jonathan Swan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Former President Donald J. Trump on Monday night made public what he has been discussing privately for days: He has settled on someone to replace Ronna McDaniel as the chair of the Republican National Committee, and wants his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, to be the co-chair. “The RNC MUST be a good partner in the presidential election,” Mr. Trump wrote in his statement. “It must do the work we expect from the national Party and do it flawlessly. He said he wanted his “friend” Michael Whatley, currently the chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party and the national committee’s general counsel, and “my very talented daughter-in-law, Lara Trump,” to serve as party leaders. “Lara is an extremely talented communicator and is dedicated to all that MAGA stands for,” Mr. Trump said of his daughter-in-law, who is married to his middle son, Eric.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Ronna McDaniel, Lara Trump, ” Mr, ” Michael Whatley, “ Lara, MAGA, Eric, “ Organizations: Republican National Committee, national Party, North Carolina Republican Party, ”

☆ Who Will Replace Ronna McDaniel as Leader of the R.N.C.?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Neil Vigdor | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The disclosure that Ronna McDaniel is planning to step down this month as the leader of the Republican National Committee has set off a new round of jockeying between two of the same men who battled for the co-chairman post last year. As he did last year, Donald J. Trump, the Republican front-runner for the White House, looks likely to back Michael Whatley, an election-denying ally — this time, though, as Ms. McDaniel’s replacement. But Mr. Whatley, the chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party, was not successful last year. And while the former president wields broad influence over who leads the party, his power is not absolute. And Republican committee members may not be in lock step.

Persons: Ronna McDaniel, Donald J, Trump, Michael Whatley, —, Whatley, Drew McKissick, ” Tyler Bowyer Organizations: Republican National, Republican, White, North Carolina Republican Party Locations: Arizona

☆ The RNC is a mess now Ronna McDaniel is likely on her way out, and Trump holds all the cards
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ronna McDaniel offered to step down as RNC chair amid pressure from Donald Trump, per NYT. AdvertisementAn election denier could very well find themselves as the next Republican National Committee chair if Donald Trump gets his way. The former chairwoman of the Michigan Republican Party received Trump's support to take over as RNC chair in 2017. Under McDaniel, Trump also benefitted from the committee when it came to his legal troubles. Murray, Lindell said, "would be the best pick for the RNC chair."

Persons: Ronna McDaniel, Donald Trump, Trump, McDaniel, Mike Lindell, —, Letitia James, it's, Harmeet Dhillon, Lindell, Julianne Murray, Murray, Michael Whatley, Whatley, Joe Gruters, Gruters Organizations: Fox News, RNC, Service, Republican National Committee, The New York Times, Michigan Republican Party, CNN, New, Trump, Delaware Republican Party, Business, North Carolina Republican Party, New York Times, Times, Florida GOP, Miami Herald, Republican Party, The Associated Press Locations: South Carolina, Michigan, New York, Florida

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