Just a few weeks after being mentioned as a possible successor to Republican National Committee Chair Reince Priebus, Michigan GOP Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel could virtually secure the post as early as today.
Reuters is reporting that McDaniel has emerged as the “consensus favorite” to head the party as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to make a stop in Grand Rapids tonight as part of his post-election “thank you” tour.
Some party insiders believe Trump may announce his support in Grand Rapids for McDaniel, the niece of 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. The 168 members of the RNC would almost certainly bow to the president-elect’s wishes.
According to Politico, McDaniel has worked her way to the top as factions within the coming administration debate the best choice to replace Priebus. Priebus, who will serve as White House chief of staff when Trump takes office on Jan. 20, apparently favors McDaniel.
Here’s what Politico reported last night:
The president-elect is said to have taken a personal liking to McDaniel. On Wednesday, during a closed-door meeting in New York with some 800 top donors, he asked her to stand up and said there were bigger things in store for her in the future, according to two people in the room. McDaniel has spoken frequently to people close to Trump and is expected to see him on Friday, one transition source said.
“It’s a question whether Reince, (top aide Steve) Bannon or (VP-elect Mike) Pence gets their pick, but I think Trump personally likes the person Reince likes the best,” said a different transition aide.
“I’m making the assumption that Reince Priebus, who has the ear of the president, is pretty much going to have 90 percent of the decision-making about who succeeds him, because he understands how delicate and how important the vehicle is,” said (California committeeman Shawn) Steel. “So if it’s some name I’m not familiar with, I’ll have to assume Reince endorses it and that he thinks it’s a good idea.”
Ironically, McDaniel faces a challenge from Trump’s Michigan campaign chair Scott Hagerstrom as she gears up for re-election as Michigan Republican Party chair. If she is tapped for the RNC post, the campaign for state party chair could be thrown wide open.
Bot McDaniel and Hagerstrom take credit for Trump carrying Michigan in the November election, making him the first Republican nominee since 1988 to win the state.
The RNC will choose its new chair in mid-January; the GOP State Central Committee will choose the MIGOP chair in February.
Photo: westMIpolitics.blogspot.com
