LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Ronna McDaniel, Chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, urged party members to unite behind the common goal of defeating President Joe Biden, as she grapples with financial challenges and criticism from far-right conservatives. McDaniel made the appeal at the RNC’s winter meeting in Las Vegas, a crucial swing state in the November election, in a closed-door session with state chairmen and other party leaders.
The call for unity comes as former President Donald Trump and his supporters pressure the party to throw their support behind him, effectively ending the primary race, despite facing competition from former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley. McDaniel’s leadership is also being tested by the faction of Trump supporters on the far right who are creating parallel efforts that could potentially conflict with the national party.
Amidst these challenges, campaign finance disclosures showed the RNC’s financial situation, with only $8 million in the bank and $1 million in debt, paling in comparison to the Trump campaign’s $42 million cash on hand. Additionally, Biden’s political operation reported raising $97.1 million in the final months of 2024 and ended the year with $117.4 million on hand.
Efforts by Trump allies to declare him the “presumptive nominee” were withdrawn after drawing criticism because of Nikki Haley still being in the race. However, tensions between the party establishment and Trump’s strongest supporters have long simmered, as highlighted by the recent attacks on McDaniel by far-right figures, including the group Turning Point led by media figure Charlie Kirk.
Turning Point, a well-funded organization, hosted a counterprograming event and training session in Las Vegas, drawing nearly 400 attendees aligned with the group and including some RNC members and state and local Republican Party chairs. The group’s efforts aim to challenge the RNC’s spending habits and its perceived disconnect from the party’s grassroots base, which some argue led to unfavorable results in recent elections.
As McDaniel navigates through the criticism and pressure, her allies point out that similar financial challenges were faced by the Democratic National Committee in the early stages of the 2020 race. Meanwhile, Turning Point’s attempts to expand its influence beyond the youth movement have met with mixed results, with scrutiny over their spending practices and their organizational goals.
Despite the challenges, McDaniel and the RNC remain focused on the ultimate goal of defeating Biden in the upcoming election, as they face internal and external pressures to chart the party’s course for the future.