Ronna McDaniel expected to stay on as RNC chair

Ronna McDaniel is expected to seek a third term as Republican National Committee chair, according to a person familiar with her thinking, and she has President Donald Trump’s backing to keep her post.

McDaniel, who President Donald Trump picked to lead the RNC after he won the 2016 election, received Trump’s endorsement for another term on Wednesday evening, all but guaranteeing her reelection.

Trump’s endorsement shows how he is determined to play a central role in Republican Party politics even after losing his bid for reelection. Party officials expect him to stay involved in down-ballot races heading into the 2022 midterms once he is out of office.

“I am pleased to announce that I have given my full support and endorsement to Ronna McDaniel to continue heading the Republican National Committee (RNC). With 72 MILLION votes, we received more votes than any sitting President in U.S. history - and we will win!” Trump wrote on Twitter.

The 47-year-old McDaniel is also expected to receive the support of GOP congressional leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.

Trump and McDaniel got to know each other during the 2016 campaign, when she was serving as chair of the Michigan GOP. The president chose McDaniel for the RNC post shortly after he was elected, and she has since emerged as one of his top political advisers.

The RNC’s 168 members are set to elect the next chair in January, when they convene for their winter meeting.

No challenger for the RNC chairmanship has yet to emerge, and senior Republicans say prospective candidates were waiting to see if McDaniel would seek reelection. The list of rumored candidates has included informal Trump adviser and Maryland committeeman David Bossie, Ohio GOP chair Jane Timken, and Mississippi committeeman Henry Barbour, the nephew of ex-RNC Chair Haley Barbour.