A great college coach said, “Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.” This is directly relevant to the political choices facing Republicans after the 2022 election.
The midterms were a success for the Republican Party of Texas. The GOP grew its majorities in the state legislature and won every statewide race by double digits.
But not all the news was good. At the same time Republicans overperformed statewide, we underperformed in South Texas, which was the primary focus of Republican National Committee’s (RNC) election efforts. Nationwide, disappointments abounded in areas where the RNC was heavily invested.
Historically, the RNC has played several important roles. It produces and promotes a platform to propel Republican candidates to victory. It organizes and operates the Republican National Convention, where Republicans choose their Presidential ticket. And it works to support election campaigns by leading the party’s fundraising and strategic planning.
As chair of the Texas Republican Party, I also serve as a member of the RNC. This dual role requires me to ensure RNC success, not only in Texas—but nationwide. That’s why I have made the difficult but necessary decision to call on Ronna Romney McDaniel not to seek reelection as the RNC’s chair.
Ronna is someone who is well-liked and respected within the RNC. But given the divergent outcomes in Texas and Republicans underperforming nationally in an election that was expected to be a Republican wave, it is obvious it’s time for a change.
When a football team is expected to go 16-0 and ends up going 8-8, it makes sense to fire the coach and try a new approach. The RNC not only turned in a mediocre performance in an election they were expected to dominate, it has racked up disappointing outcomes year after year, all while keeping the same coach in place. Ronna was first elected in 2017 and has been reelected twice since. All the while, we have lost winnable races, seen needed funds spent on extravagant purposes, and used consultants – just as in South Texas, unfortunately – who didn’t have a strong sense of how to connect with voters.
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Given that record, the RNC is in need of a new coach, and Harmeet Dhillon is the right candidate for the job.
Harmeet is beyond impressive. She’s a renowned expert in constitutional and election law, a fearless fighter for conservative values, and a skillful attorney with a winning record. She’s been in the trenches with Republican committees and candidates, and she’s taken on the progressives who oppose our agenda of small government, low taxes, less spending, and more freedom. Most of all, Harmeet impresses me with her tremendous energy, her strategic vision, and her can-do spirit.
These are the qualities the RNC needs to be the winning team I know it can be. For that reason, I am proud to endorse Harmeet Dhillon for RNC Chair.
Matt Rinaldi is the Chairman of the Texas Republican Party. Previously, he served in the Texas Legislature from 2015 to 2019 where he was consistently ranked as one of the top two most conservative members of the Texas House of Representatives.
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