Vivek Ramaswamy is trying to get RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel fired. The problem is that he doesn’t seem to know what her job is.
Granted, Republicans have been losing elections since she took the helm of the RNC in 2017. Republicans lost during the Trump years in office and have continued to do so. McDaniel is a target of criticism from Republican voters and it’s to be expected. She’s at the top of the party’s federal organization. Her job is to fundraise and help with ground games in states but she doesn’t run state races. She is currently pushing an effort to get Republicans to bank votes early by voting by mail and early voting instead of waiting to vote on Election Day. Republicans like to vote on Election Day and it’s a tough habit for many to break. One reason that Democrats are winning elections is because they have mastered banking votes before Election Day. Republicans have to beat them at their own game.
Donald Trump put McDaniel in the position. She isn’t going anywhere while he still shows his support for her. If he is the Republican nominee, who knows how long she will be in that job?
Vivek launched the petition, FireRonna.com, today. He began his call for her to resign at the beginning of the third RNC debate in Miami. The RNC responded.
“I am sick and tired of this Republican establishment that has made us a party of losers. Where is the accountability for years of losing: 2018, 2020, 2022 and now 2023,” Ramaswamy said in a statement. “On the debate stage, I called on Ronna Romney McDaniel to resign. Now, I’m asking grassroots conservatives across the nation to join me so she can feel the power of the people. It’s time to stop the culture of surrender and losing. Resign, Ronna!”
RNC spokesperson Emma Vaughn was quick to fire back.
“The RNC is focused on firing Joe Biden. If Republicans would like to help with that, visit bankyourvote.com,” Vaughn told The Post.
Ronna McDaniel’s response was similar.
“He’s at 4%. He needs a headline,” McDaniel told Fox Business Network’s Stuart Varney. “The RNC doesn’t do state races, we’re a federal committee. So we weren’t involved in those races on Tuesday.”
My theory about Vivek is that he is a proxy candidate for Trump. He is in the Republican primary as a spoiler. I’ve never been able to shake the impression that he is a snake oil salesman, willing to say whatever he thinks the audience wants to hear. Vivek is regularly called out in interviews because he delivers an answer and when he gets pushback on his answer, he changes it. Then he denies that he changed it. It’s a pattern of behavior with him. He’s a bomb thrower who craves the attention. YMMV.
Vivek says that he thinks the RNC will try to silence him or cut off his funding. This is why I don’t think he knows what the RNC does. The RNC doesn’t fund candidates in primaries. He has mostly self-funded his campaign.
One reason Republicans lost races in 2023 is because the party’s candidates don’t know how to talk about abortion. Even pro-life voters are frustrated with the lack of unity in messages. Six-week bans are seen as too harsh – the majority of American voters are in support of 15-week cut-offs in abortion. Republicans let Democrats define their positions and don’t aggressively push back on the disinformation Democrats spread. Republicans don’t want women jailed for obtaining an abortion, for example, but that is a trope that is out there. Republicans have to go on the offense and state their position, moderating it with what voters will accept, and then the candidate can go on to the other important issues with voters. The Supreme Court has ruled. Abortion is a state issue, as it should be.
The more voters get to know Vivek, the lower his favorable ratings go. He does not wear well.
Vivek was angry when the RNC told him he couldn’t debate Chris Christie on FNC’s Special Report with Bret Baier as the host. The debate violated the candidate pledge signed by Vivek and the others. Only RNC-sanctioned debates are acceptable during the primary. Violating that agreement meant he would likely not be allowed to participate in the next debate, which was the third debate in Miami.
Vivek is not denied exposure, that’s for sure. He is a frequent guest on political shows and network interviews. He’s not advancing in the polls but Nikki Haley is and that sets him off. He has qualified for the 4th RNC debate in Alabama. We’ll see if he shows up. I know Ronna McDaniel will be there.
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