Two of Donald Trump's most ardent supporters urged the Republican National Committee (RNC) and Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel to use the group's financial capital to back the GOP front-runner.
The former president dominated Monday's Iowa caucuses, garnering approximately 51 percent of just over 100,000 total votes. His 20 delegates set him up for an important primary in New Hampshire with a smaller-than-ever GOP field, potentially bolstering his already staunch support from national conservatives.
Trump easily defeated second-place Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who received 21 percent of the vote, and Nikki Haley, who carried one of Iowa's 99 counties and by just one vote. Trump won the other 98 counties. Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy received about 8 percent, immediately suspending his campaign and endorsing Trump as the Republican Party nominee. He urged his competitors to do the same.
"If Ronna [McDaniel] didn't get the message last night out of Iowa that the Republican Party is the 'America First,' Donald Trump Republican Party, I don't know what will give her that message," former Arizona gubernatorial candidate and Trump supporter Kari Lake told Steve Bannon on his War Room podcast. "I hope she has some soul searching going on today as well."
A spokesperson for the RNC declined to comment in response, instead referring Newsweek to an X post by McDaniel in the wake of the caucus results, in which she said: "Congratulations to President Trump, and to the entire @IowaGOP on running successful caucuses despite the elements! Last night, Iowa Republicans showed how it's done!"
RNC rules, adopted during the party's 2020 convention, stipulate that "the Republican National Committee shall not, without the prior written and filed approval of all members of the Republican National Committee from the state involved, contribute money or in-kind aid to any candidate for any public or party office of that state, except the nominee of the Republican Party or a candidate who is unopposed in the Republican primary after the filing deadline for that office."
Lake added that Trump's speech last night showed how he will handle inter-party disagreements moving forward, saying that she doesn't believe he will come from a place of vindictiveness but rather bringing all conservatives, "disaffected Democrats" and independent voters together.
"You can't spend a quarter-of-a-billion-dollars essentially going after President Trump," Bannon said. "This primary RNC, [former 2016 Trump Deputy Campaign Manager] Dave Bossie, Ronna, should be ashamed of themselves. It's time to shut it down, all of it right now, and all come together."
McDaniel's tenure as RNC chair has been marred with criticism since accepting the role in 2017 and winning reelection three times.
Her leadership has been questioned by donors of different sizes, as noted in a 2023 piece published by The Washington Post saying that the RNC's available capital has dwindled in recent years—cited not just as a critique of McDaniel and broader leadership but also Trump's hold on the party and its apparatus.
The GOP had about $9.1 million in cash on hand as of October 31, 2023—the lowest amount for the committee in any commission report since February 2015, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
McDaniel was also criticized following the 2022 midterms, which countless conservatives predicted would be a "red wave" for the party that in the end did not materialize.
One reason for larger chunks of Democratic support, especially among female voters, was the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade earlier that year. McDaniel has stated that the GOP can still win major elections with its general views on abortion rights, even as Trump touted the court's decision and has said states should determine what is most appropriate.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Nick Mordowanec is a Newsweek reporter based in Michigan. His focus is reporting on Ukraine and Russia, along with social ... Read more
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