By week’s end, the Republican National Committee is set to resolve a bitter leadership feud that has exposed perilous divisions within the institution charged with electing the next GOP president.
Those inside the fight believe the days ahead of Friday’s secret ballot at a luxury seaside resort could get even uglier as rebel forces within former President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement threaten to upend RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel’s reelection bid.
The attacks have been led by McDaniel’s chief rival, Harmeet Dhillon, a Trump attorney who has accused the incumbent of religious bigotry, chronic misspending and privately claiming she can control the former president — allegations McDaniel denies. Also in the race is My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell, a pro-Trump conspiracy theorist who secured enough support to qualify for the ballot.
Trump hasn’t made a public endorsement, but he and his team are privately advocating for McDaniel, whom he tapped for the position shortly after his 2016 victory. Still, many Trump loyalists blame McDaniel, the niece of Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, for some of the party’s recent struggles.
In an interview, Dhillon insisted that the overwhelming majority of Republican voters want a leadership change at the RNC. He warned of serious political consequences for any of the committee’s 168 elected members who support McDaniel’s reelection.
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