After a whirlwind seven-week campaign that brought more attention to the inner workings of the GOP than anything prior, the 168 members of the Republican National Committee re-elected Ronna McDaniel to serve as chair for the next two years.
The election took place during the general meeting on the last day of the RNC’s winter meeting, held at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach in Dana Point, California.
McDaniel was nominated by Kim Borchers, national committeewoman from Kansas, and the nomination was seconded by Maryland’s David Bossie. Amata Catherine Coleman Radewagen, national committeewoman from American Samoa and delegate to the US House of Representatives.
Texas’ Robin Armstrong nominated Harmeet Dhillon, saying the group has the opportunity to elect a chair with the overwhelming “support of the grassroots activists at home” and that the country is “at an inflection point. Our party and our conservative values are the only thing standing in the way of absolute tyranny.”
Laura Nakaneula, Hawai’i national committeewoman, then seconded the nomination and emphasized Dhillon’s service to fellow members of the 168 and as a leader who rolls up her sleeves to work alongside the grassroots.
Hawaii national committeewoman @LNakanelua seconds the nomination, "she's been an articulate and passionate warrior." Tells the committee, "We cannot afford to be dismissive. What I don't think unity looks like is circling the wagons…"
— Jennifer Van Laar (@jenvanlaar) January 27, 2023
Mike Lindell was nominated by Lennar Whitney, committeewoman from Louisiana, and that was seconded Gordon Ackley from the US Virgin Islands.
Members voted by secret ballot. McDaniel received 111 votes, Dhillon received 51, and Lindell received 4.
McDaniel called Lindell and Dhillon to the stage after the results were announced, and praised them and thanked them for their candidacy. McDaniel said that she heard the grassroots and that “With all of us united and working together, the Democrats are going to hear us in 2024!”
Dhillon issued a statement shortly after the vote was held.
Following the secret ballot vote for RNC chair, Harmeet Dhillon (@pnjaban) released this statement: pic.twitter.com/zcFMYJbEux
— Kyle Morris (@RealKyleMorris) January 27, 2023
RNC continues to ignore and denigrate the very people who once supported them. They proved that when they refused money to candidates who would have brought about real change and poured money into the campaigns of the same old RINOs.
By the way, goggle the ‘hotel’ they stayed. If i doesn’t cost $2000 a night, I’ll eat a bug.