DeSantis aligns a proxy battle with Trump, as he weighs in RNC contest against Ronna McDaniel

Governor Ron DeSantis weighed in on the battle for the Republican National Committee chairmanship, throwing his support behind challenger Harmeet Dhillon and explaining the need for new blood after disappointing midterm elections.

It sets up a clash of powers between two of the Republican party’s heavyweights and potential rivals of 2024, as former President Donald Trump quietly endorses incumbent Ronna McDaniel.

“I think we need a change, I think we need new blood in the RNC,” DeSantis said.

‘I like what Harmeet Dhillon has said about getting the RNC out of DC […] We need fresh ideas.

Ron DeSantis’ decision to endorse Harmeet Dhillon for RNC chairmanship sets up a long-distance battle with Donald Trump, whose aides are quietly backing incumbent Ronna McDaniel.

His intervention comes as the 168 members of the RNC gather for their winter meeting in California.

They must choose their chair for the next two years in a secret ballot on Friday.

McDaniel’s team is convinced they have the votes to secure a fourth term.

But Dhillon’s supporters say a new way of thinking is needed to make Republicans more competitive in elections.

“We’ve had three poor election cycles in a row: ’18, ’20 and ’22,” DeSantis told Florida’s Voice.

‘And I would say out of the three, ’22 was probably the worst given the political environment of a very unpopular president in Biden.

‘Large majorities of people think that the country is headed in the wrong direction.

‘That’s an environment that is tailor-made for making progress in the House and Senate and state chambers across the country. And yet that did not happen.

In fact, we lost ground in the Senate.

Harmeet Dhillon is running to remove Ronna McDaniel as president, saying change is needed after several cycles of disappointing election results.

DeSantis has yet to reveal his 2024 plans. But he is coming off a landslide victory in his own state last year, and has excited a large wing of the GOP with his culture war credentials and relative youth at the age of 44. .

Dhillon said he appreciated DeSantis’ comments that reflected grassroots sentiment.

“85, 90, 95 percent of the Republicans are supporting a leadership change in the RNC,” he said.

“And I’m sure Governor DeSantis is listening, and frankly, I’m sure every Republican elected official in the country is listening.”

Trump remains the only stated candidate for 2024, reportedly quietly backing McDaniel, whom he helped propel to the top of the RNC.

He cannot comment publicly for fear of upsetting the committee’s neutrality in the nomination process.

But the Associated Press reported that former White House adviser Kellyanne Conway and former chief of staff Reince Priebus will be on McDaniel’s unofficial spanking team.

And aides have quietly made it known that they want McDaniel back for a fourth term.

However, the contest has divided the MAGA world. Kari Lake, who lost her bid to become Arizona governor last year, is campaigning for Dhillon as members gather at a California luxury hotel for the election.

Trump loyalist and conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell has also jumped ship and is running against McDaniel, but has little chance of winning.