According to a recent poll by the Convention of States Action and the Trafalgar Group, the majority of Republican voters believe the Republican National Committee (RNC) should elect a new chairperson at its meetings this month, The Hill reports.
The poll, which surveyed 1,078 registered GOP and GOP primary voters from December 17 to 21, 2022, found that 73% of respondents favored replacing current RNC chair Ronna McDaniel, while only 6% favored her reelection for a fourth term.
The remaining 21% were unsure.
Mark Meckler, president of the Convention of States, a group that supports holding a constitutional convention to limit federal power, commented on the poll results: “Voters believe the only way to hold the GOP accountable for its failures is to make way for new leadership. Grassroots activists have known for a long time that GOP leadership in Congress and at the RNC aren’t focused on fighting for conservative principles, or even winning a majority, but rather keeping themselves in power and funding the permanent political consultant class.”
The poll also revealed widespread dissatisfaction with the Republican Party’s performance in the 2022 midterm elections, where it lost a Senate seat and barely regained control of the House.
Of those surveyed, 63% considered the party and its congressional leadership ineffective at getting Republicans elected, while only 36% believed they were effective.
Additionally, 44% said they were less willing to donate money to the GOP or Republican candidates following the midterm results, and 43% were unsure if they would donate more or less.
McDaniel’s defenders have argued that the RNC’s role is mainly to raise and distribute funds and to advocate for reforms on debates and election integrity, areas where they believe she has excelled.
However, her critics point to the party’s losses in the House in 2018, the White House and Senate in 2020, and the narrow victory in the House in 2022 as evidence of her inadequate leadership.
Harmeet Dhillon, an RNC member from California and former attorney for former President Trump in lawsuits related to the 2020 election, is challenging McDaniel for the RNC chair position.
To win reelection, McDaniel needs the support of a majority of the 168 RNC members, while Dhillon needs the support of at least two RNC members in three different states or territories to even be included on the ballot.
Last month, 107 RNC members signed an endorsement letter in support of McDaniel, while four former RNC finance chairs wrote to members defending her fundraising skills and refuting criticism of party spending.
