RNC draft resolution may delay party’s acceptance of Trump as nominee

By Better Today On Feb 24, 2024

TL/DR –

Henry Barbour, a Republican National Committee (RNC) member, has proposed two resolutions aimed at distancing the national party from former President Donald Trump. The first resolution seeks to prevent the RNC from coordinating with Trump’s campaign or fundraising with him until he secures enough delegates to be the presumptive nominee. The second resolution will prevent the RNC from paying Trump’s legal bills, focusing spending exclusively on the 2024 election cycle.

RNC Member Proposes Measures to Distance National Party from Trump

A high-profile Republican National Committee (RNC) member, Henry Barbour from Mississippi, is moving two resolutions to distance the national party from ex-president Donald Trump. The resolutions would stall coordination or fundraising between Trump and the national party until Trump secures enough delegates to be the party’s presumptive nominee.

The draft resolution asserts: “The Republican National Committee and its leadership will remain neutral throughout the Presidential primary, not hiring additional staff from any active Presidential campaigns until a nominee is determined by reaching 1,215 delegates.”

Despite Trump’s dominance in the Republican Party’s primaries and caucuses, former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley pledged to stay in the race. Trump suggested his current campaign co-manager, Chris LaCivita, assume the RNC’s chief operating officer role. This resolution would delay Trump’s team’s takeover of the RNC. More details here.

The RNC and Trump campaign haven’t formed a joint fundraising committee, unlike the Biden campaign and the DNC. This committee would greatly facilitate mutual financial interests. Trump’s team expressed disapproval of Barbour’s measure, arguing it would only help Biden’s campaign.

Barbour also suggests a second resolution preventing the RNC from paying Trump’s legal bills: “The Republican National Committee will not cover the legal bills of any candidates for federal or state office, focusing spending on direct efforts related to the 2024 election cycle.”

On the campaign trail with Trump, LaCivita confirmed that Trump’s legal expenses wouldn’t be covered by the RNC when the campaign and RNC merge. Click here to learn more.

The RNC members will meet in Houston on March 7 and 8 to potentially vote on these resolutions. The future of current chairwoman, Ronna McDaniel, remains uncertain. Trump proposed her replacement with Michael Whatley, a RNC member from North Carolina. Any change in leadership is contingent on McDaniel’s resignation or removal by RNC members.

Whatley could face a challenge from current RNC co-chair Drew McKissick for the top spot if McDaniel resigns. While McKissick hasn’t ruled out his own bid for the chairmanship, he acknowledges the presidential nominee’s significant influence in the process. Find out more here.

In preparation for potential leadership changes, McKissick reached out to other RNC members to gauge their support for him as RNC chair. He earlier bested Whatley, who was backed by Trump, in the RNC vote to serve as the party’s co-chair. McKissick stopped short of endorsing Whatley’s bid for RNC chair.