Lindsey Graham and Republican anti-abortion leaders endorse McDaniel for RNC chairwoman
Cami Mondeaux
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EXCLUSIVE — A group of Republican anti-abortion leaders, including Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), has backed Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel for reelection, offering the chairwoman one of her most high-profile endorsements yet just one week before the committee is set to elect its new leadership.
In a letter sent to the RNC’s 168 members on Wednesday, a group of five anti-abortion leaders urged the committee to back McDaniel’s reelection bid, praising the chairwoman for her efforts to boost anti-abortion candidates and policies during the midterm elections. The letter was signed by Graham, Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, and Marjorie Dannenfesler, president of the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America political organization.
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“Ronna McDaniel has been a tireless champion of the unborn from day one. Long before Election Day, McDaniel understood that the ‘ostrich strategy’ — that is, sticking one’s head in the sand and ignoring this crucial issue, while Democrats run nearly half a billion dollars in attack ads to confuse the voters — is not a winner for Republicans,” the group wrote, according to the letter obtained by the Washington Examiner.
The group pointed to McDaniel’s strategy on abortion messaging during the midterm cycle, which included targeting Democrats who ran on platforms championing abortion rights at all stages of one’s pregnancy. This strategy was especially useful after the reversal of Roe v. Wade in the summer, they wrote, when the question of abortion’s legality was returned to the states.
The signees also touted McDaniel’s efforts to organize 11 national and state-level RNC prayer calls during the 2022 cycle to encourage voters to elect anti-abortion candidates. Similar efforts will only become more important during the 2024 election and beyond, they wrote.
“The first year after Dobbs and the start of the 2024 election cycle are a pivotal time to set an ambitious pro-life agenda,” the letter reads. “Going forward, McDaniel knows it is key to have a national debate that puts the focus on the humanity of the unborn child, protecting mothers, and contrasting the compassionate pro-life position with Democratic pro-abortion extremism.”
The endorsement comes at a pivotal time for McDaniel as the RNC is set to hold its winter meeting next week and elect its new leadership. At least two Republicans are challenging McDaniel for the top spot, including Harmeet Dhillon, a lawyer and RNC committeewoman, and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell.
McDaniel has faced a growing number of Republicans calling on her to resign, particularly after a lackluster midterm performance in which the party failed to regain control of the Senate and achieved only a slim majority in the House. The midterm elections led several conservatives to question McDaniel’s leadership openly, with some outright calling for new leadership.
Despite this, the most recent endorsement letter praised McDaniel’s leadership during the 2022 elections, arguing her leadership is necessary to continue the momentum into 2024.
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“Since the Dobbs decision, pro-life lawmakers have passed legislation that will save countless unborn children,” they wrote. “Life is still winning and we need to continue the momentum into 2024. Elections have consequences, and Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel is a GOP leader who truly understands the power of the life issue to sway votes.”
Spokespeople for McDaniel have remained confident the chairwoman will be reelected, pointing to a letter circulated by about 100 members of the RNC in November that showed they would back her run. The RNC is composed of 168 members, meaning any candidate must get 85 votes to secure the top leadership position.