The Republican National Committee has a new leadership team, thanks to former President Donald Trump.
Trump handpicked Michael Whatley, who backed Trump in his voter fraud claim, and his daughter-in-law Lara Trump to lead the committee, according to the Associated Press.
On Friday, Whatley and Lara Trump were voted in as the new chairman and co-chairwoman, respectively.
“The RNC is going to be the vanguard of a movement that will work tirelessly every single day to elect our nominee, Donald J. Trump, as the 47th President of the United States,” Whatley told RNC members in a speech after being elected.
Whatley replaces longtime chairwoman Ronna McDaniel.
Lara Trump, Eric Trump’s wife, is expected to focus on fundraising and media appearances, according to the AP.
Chris LaCivita will be the functional head of the RNC and will “assume the committee’s chief of staff role while maintaining his job as one of the Trump campaign’s top two advisers,” per the AP.
McDaniel spoke about infighting in the Republican Party.
“We have to stop the attacking other Republicans,” she said. “If we spend our time attacking each other, we guarantee the Democrats are going to win.”
She also talked about bringing independent voters and swing voters into the fold.
“We don’t win if we only talk to each other.”
As the AP pointed out, the new regime was welcome.
Lara Trump “was greeted like a celebrity, with members lining up to take photos with her.”
There has been much concern over the speculation the RNC will pay Trump’s mounting legal fees.
Trump is facing four criminal indictments and a total of 91 counts as well as a $355 million civil fraud judgment, which he is appealing, according to the AP, which added Trump’s affiliated Save America political action committee has spent $76 million over the last two years on lawyers.
“LaCivita said, do so ‘purely on the basis of trying to hurt donors.’ Trump’s legal bills are instead being covered largely by Save America, a separate political entity,” per the AP.
“The fact of the matter is not a penny of the RNC’s money or, for that matter, the campaign’s money has gone or will go to pay legal fees,” he said.