Republicans feuding before RNC election

The Republican National Committee’s current chair, Ronna McDaniel, faced attacks on Monday by rival Harmeet Dhillon, a Trump attorney. Those attacks have included allegations that McDaniel is a religious bigot, a chronic misspender, and that she’s claimed she can control former President Donald Trump—something McDaniel denies. The committee will vote Friday in a secret election to decide who will be its next chair. The committee is the main governing body of the Republican Party in the United States, and it is crucial for helping Republican candidates with fundraising and election strategy.

Who is Trump supporting? The former president has not made a public endorsement, but he and his team are allegedly advocating privately for McDaniel. He originally supported her for the position in 2016. Many of Trump’s supporters blame McDaniel for the party’s recent struggles. Dhillon claims voters across the country want new leadership in the committee.

Dig deeper: Read Leo Briceno’s report in The Stew about Kevin McCarthy’s ongoing battle to lead Republicans in the House of Representatives.