:Republican National Committee

The 1856 Republican National Convention appointed the first RNC. It consisted of one member from each state and territory to serve for four years. Each national committee since then has followed the precedent of equal representation for each state or territory, regardless of population. From 1924 to 1952, there was a national committeeman and national committeewoman from each state and U.S. possession, and from Washington, D.C. In 1952, committee membership was expanded to include the state party chairs of states that voted Republican in the preceding presidential election, have a Republican majority in their congressional delegation (U.S. representatives and senators), or have Republican governors. By 1968, membership reached 145. As of 2011, the RNC has 168 members.{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/despite-priebus-lead-rnc-election-still-highly-contested |title=Despite Priebus Lead, RNC Election Still Highly Contested |work=Fox News |date=January 14, 2011 |first=Jake |last=Gibson |access-date=March 24, 2021 |archive-date=October 18, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018080239/http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/01/14/despite-priebus-lead-rnc-election-highly-contested/ |url-status=live }}

While a number of the chairs of the RNC have been state governors, the only person to have chaired the RNC and later become U.S. president is George H. W. Bush. During Bush's time as RNC chair, Spiro Agnew was being investigated for corruption, which would later lead to Agnew's resignation as vice president. Bush assisted, at the request of Nixon and Agnew, in getting John Glenn Beall Jr., the U.S. Senator from Maryland, to pressure his brother, George Beall the U.S. Attorney in Maryland, to shut down the investigation into Agnew. Attorney Beall ignored the pressure.{{Cite web |title=Transcript – Episode 4: Turn It Off |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/msnbc/maddow-bag-man-podcast/transcript-episode-4-turn-it-n935286 |access-date=2023-05-14 |work=NBC News |date=13 November 2018 }}

In 2013, the RNC began an outreach campaign towards the American youth and minority voters, after studies showed these groups generally perceived that the Republican Party did not care about their concerns.{{cite web |url=https://thehill.com/video/campaign/288661-rnc-drastic-changes-needed-if-gop-hopes-to-remain-competitive/ |title=RNC: 'Drastic changes' needed if party hopes to remain competitive |first1=Cameron |last1=Joseph |first2=Jonathan |last2=Easley |work=The Hill |date=March 18, 2013 |access-date=March 18, 2013 |archive-date=September 26, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170926235849/http://thehill.com/video/campaign/288661-rnc-drastic-changes-needed-if-gop-hopes-to-remain-competitive |url-status=live }}

During the presidency of Donald Trump, the RNC showed staunch loyalty to President Trump, even at times when prominent Republicans did not. Under Ronna McDaniel's leadership, the RNC ran ads for Trump's 2020 campaign as early as 2018, put numerous Trump campaign workers and affiliates on the RNC payroll, spent considerable funds at Trump-owned properties, covered his legal fees in the Russian interference investigation, hosted Trump's Fake News Awards, and criticized Trump critics within the Republican Party.{{Cite journal|last=Heersink|first=Boris|date=July 25, 2018|title=Trump and the Party-in-Organization: Presidential Control of National Party Organizations|journal=The Journal of Politics|volume=80|issue=4|pages=1474–1482|doi=10.1086/699336|issn=0022-3816|s2cid=158762949}} Two days after the January 6th riot at the Capitol following the controversial 2020 presidential election results, the RNC held an event where members expressed loyalty to the President.{{Cite news|last=Martin|first=Jonathan|date=January 9, 2021|title=In Capital, a G.O.P. Crisis. At the R.N.C. Meeting, a Trump Celebration.|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/08/us/politics/trump-republican-national-committee.html|access-date=January 13, 2021|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=January 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210113004801/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/08/us/politics/trump-republican-national-committee.html|url-status=live}}

In February 2022, the RNC censured two Republican representatives, Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, for their participation in the United States House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the US Capitol; the censure statement described the committee as a "Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens who engaged in legitimate political discourse."{{Cite web|title=RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel says January 6 committee is a 'Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens who engaged in legitimate political discourse'|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/rnc-chairwoman-ronna-mcdaniel-says-january-6-committee-is-a-democrat-led-persecution-of-ordinary-citizens-who-engaged-in-legitimate-political-discourse/ar-AATtwkN|access-date=February 8, 2022|work=Business Insider|via=MSN|first=Bryan|last=Metzger|date=February 4, 2022|archive-date=February 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208121000/https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/rnc-chairwoman-ronna-mcdaniel-says-january-6-committee-is-a-democrat-led-persecution-of-ordinary-citizens-who-engaged-in-legitimate-political-discourse/ar-AATtwkN|url-status=live}} The censure of sitting congressmembers, and particularly the description of the January 6 events as "legitimate political discourse", received bipartisan criticism from politicians and media.{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/several-republicans-criticize-rnc-censure-cheney-kinzinger-n1288710|title=Republican criticism of RNC resolution to censure Cheney, Kinzinger grows|last=Finn|first=Teagann|date=February 6, 2022|work=NBC News|access-date=15 February 2022|archive-date=14 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220214195525/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/several-republicans-criticize-rnc-censure-cheney-kinzinger-n1288710|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|date=February 5, 2022|title=RNC Should Take a Lesson from Mike Pence|url=https://www.nationalreview.com/2022/02/rnc-should-take-a-lesson-from-mike-pence/|access-date=February 8, 2022|website=National Review|archive-date=February 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208125342/https://www.nationalreview.com/2022/02/rnc-should-take-a-lesson-from-mike-pence/|url-status=live}}

In May 2024, The Associated Press reported that under Lara Trump, the RNC had "sought alliances with election deniers, conspiracy theorists and alt-right advocates the party had previously kept at arm's length."{{Cite news |last1=Linderman |first1=Juliet |last2=Mendoza |first2=Martha |date=May 22, 2024 |title=Lara Trump is taking the reins and reshaping the RNC in her father-in-law's image|work=Associated Press |url=https://apnews.com/article/lara-trump-rnc-leadership-election-reshaping-gop-a407d7edbfb37739abc590540b2f206d|access-date=May 23, 2024|archive-date=May 23, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240523120259/https://apnews.com/article/lara-trump-rnc-leadership-election-reshaping-gop-a407d7edbfb37739abc590540b2f206d|url-status=live}} It also noted the prevalence of election deniers had increased among top Republican officeholders and RNC officials as part of a larger election denial movement in the United States.{{Cite news |last1=Riccardi |first1=Nicholas |last2=Mascaro |first2=Lisa |date=May 21, 2024 |title=Election deniers moving closer to GOP mainstream, report shows, as Trump allies fill Congress|work=Associated Press |url=https://apnews.com/article/congress-election-lies-2024-certification-president-460cde281d48e62e09e24c7573d6a9ff|access-date=May 23, 2024|archive-date=May 21, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240521145524/https://apnews.com/article/congress-election-lies-2024-certification-president-460cde281d48e62e09e24c7573d6a9ff|url-status=live}}

The Republican National Committee's main function is to assist the Republican Party of the United States. It helps to promote the Republican political platform and the "party brand" or image. It is more focused on campaign and organizational strategy than public policy.

It helps coordinate fundraising and election strategy, as well as organizing and running the Republican National Convention.

According to Jim Nicholson, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee:

“The party can’t coordinate with these Super PACs and neither can the campaigns so there’s a lot more chaos . . . .And the party structure clearly has a diminished role because they don’t have the resources they used to have.”Quoted in Barbara A. Bardes, Mack C Shelley, Steffen W. Schmidt, American Government and Politics Today (18th Edition, Cengage Learning 2020) p. 330.

{{expand section|is the committee itself the entire organization or is their paid staff and volunteers, what is the internal structure and subcommittees if any, how is the election of committee members and its leadership and other officers structured, what are the relationships to state and county committees |small = no | date = January 2021}}

{{As of|since=y|2025|01|17|post=,|df=US}} the Republican National Committee has been chaired by Michael Whatley and co-chaired by KC Crosbie.{{cite news |url=https://kentuckylantern.com/briefs/kentuckian-kc-crosbie-elected-republican-national-committee-co-chair/ |title=Kentuckian KC Crosbie elected Republican National Committee co-chair |date=January 17, 2025 |website=Kentucky Lantern |first=McKenna |last=Horsley |access-date=January 19, 2025}}{{Cite news|url=https://apnews.com/general-news-096b7838036548d29afaea7a84cba7d2|title=North Carolina Republicans pick Whatley as state party head|date=June 9, 2019|work=AP News|access-date=March 8, 2024}}

The previous chair of the Republican National Committee was Ronna McDaniel, serving from 2017 to 2024. McDaniel was chair of the Michigan Republican Party from 2015 to 2017.{{Cite web | url = https://www.gop.com/leaders/national/ | access-date = 14 January 2020 | title = National Leadership | website = Republican National Committee | archive-date = 12 January 2020 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200112071859/https://www.gop.com/leaders/national/ | url-status = live }}

In January 2019, Thomas O. Hicks Jr. was elected co-chairman of the RNC. Hicks has a strong connection to former President Trump's campaigns and policy initiatives, having served as chairman of the America First Action PAC and America First Policies, and as national finance co-chairman for Donald J. Trump for President.

Similar committees to the RNC exist in each U.S. state and most U.S. counties. The RNC also organizes volunteer groups for specific interests, such as the Black Republican Activists, GOP Hispanics, RNC Women (not to be confused with National Federation of Republican Women), GOP Faith, Asian Pacific Americans, Young Leaders, and Veterans & Military Families.

{{main|List of chairs of the Republican National Committee}}

:{{Color box|limegreen|border=darkgray}} Candidate won majority of votes in the round

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:{{Color box|lightgrey|border=darkgray}} Candidate withdrew

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• Merrill and Norcross both dropped out after the fifth round, giving the chairmanship to Nicholson by acclamation.

{{Main|2009 Republican National Committee chairmanship election}}

On November 24, 2008, Steele launched his campaign for the RNC chairmanship with the launching of his website.{{cite web|url=http://www.politickermd.com/danielreiter/4232/steele-website-goes-live#comment-9959 |title=Steele Website Goes Live |first=Daniel |last=Reiter |publisher=Politicker.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090126051147/http://www.politickermd.com/danielreiter/4232/steele-website-goes-live |archive-date=January 26, 2009}} On January 30, 2009, Steele won the chairmanship of the RNC in the sixth round, with 91 votes to Dawson's 77.{{cite news|last=Burns|first=Alexander|title=It's Steele!|publisher=Politico|date=2009-01-30|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/18216.html|access-date=2009-01-30|archive-date=2009-02-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090201061324/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/18216.html|url-status=live}}

Source: CQPolitics,{{cite web|url=http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000003021842&cpage=1 |title=Republican Choose Michael Steele as Party Chairman |publisher=CQ Politics |date=January 30, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090203003925/http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000003021842&cpage=1 |archive-date=February 3, 2009}} and Poll Pundit.{{cite web|url=http://polipundit.com/index.php?p=20632 |title=RNC Chairman Vote: Live Coverage |work=PollPundit.com |date=January 30, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090202073843/http://polipundit.com/index.php?p=20632 |archive-date=February 2, 2009}}

:{{Color box|limegreen|border=darkgray}} Candidate won majority of votes in the round

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On announcing his candidacy to succeed RNC Chairman Duncan, former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele described the party as being at a crossroads and not knowing what to do. "I think I may have some keys to open the door, some juice to turn on the lights," he said.{{cite web |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/11/michael_steele_to_run_for_rnc.html?nav=rss_blog |title=Michael Steele to Run For RNC Chair |access-date=February 12, 2009 |last=Cillizza |first=Chris |date=November 13, 2008 |work=The Fix |publisher=The Washington Post |archive-date=November 2, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111102050734/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/11/michael_steele_to_run_for_rnc.html?nav=rss_blog |url-status=dead }}

Six people ran for the 2009 RNC Chairmanship: Steele, Ken Blackwell, Mike Duncan, Saul Anuzis, Katon Dawson and Chip Saltsman. After Saltsman's withdrawal, there were only five candidates during the hotly contested balloting January 30, 2009.

After the third round of balloting that day, Steele held a small lead over incumbent Mike Duncan of Kentucky, with 51 votes to Duncan's 44. Shortly after the announcement of the standings, Duncan dropped out of contention without endorsing a candidate.Armbinder, Mark. [http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/01/rnc_chairman_duncan_drops_reel.php RNC Chairman Duncan Drops Re-Election Bid] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090201020537/http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/01/rnc_chairman_duncan_drops_reel.php |date=2009-02-01 }}, January 30, 2009, The Atlantic. Ken Blackwell, the only other African-American candidate, dropped out after the fourth ballot and endorsed Steele, though Blackwell had been the most socially conservative of the candidates and Steele had been accused of not being "sufficiently conservative." Steele picked up Blackwell's votes.Cillizza, Chris. [http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2009/01/steele_elected_rnc_chair.html Steele Elected RNC Chair] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090801012636/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2009/01/steele_elected_rnc_chair.html |date=2009-08-01 }}, January 30, 2009, The Washington Post. After the fifth round, Steele held a ten-vote lead over Katon Dawson, with 79 votes, and Saul Anuzis dropped out.Hamby, Peter. [https://web.archive.org/web/20090202104239/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/category/rnc-race/ BREAKING: Steele picked to lead RNC], January 30, 2009, CNN Political Ticker. After the sixth vote, he won the chairmanship of the RNC over Dawson by a vote of 91 to 77.{{cite news|last=Burns|first=Alexander|title=It's Steele!|publisher=Politico|date=January 30, 2009|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/18216.html|access-date=January 30, 2009|archive-date=February 1, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090201061324/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/18216.html|url-status=live}}

Mississippi Governor and former RNC chair Haley Barbour has suggested the party will focus its efforts on congressional and gubernatorial elections in the coming years rather than the next presidential election. "When I was chairman of the Republican National Committee the last time we lost the White House in 1992 we focused exclusively on 1993 and 1994. And at the end of that time, we had both houses of Congress with Republican majorities, and we'd gone from 17 Republican governors to 31. So anyone talking about 2012 today doesn't have their eye on the ball. What we ought to worry about is rebuilding our party over the next year and particularly in 2010," Barbour said at the November 2008 Republican Governors conference.{{cite web|url=http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=OTgxMDMyNTU4NTE2MjM5MDQyNDlkMzU0YTlkNmNiMjQ= |title=Palin, the Governors, and the New Power in the Republican Party |access-date=February 12, 2009 |last=York |first=Byron |author-link=Byron York |date=November 13, 2008 |publisher=National Review Online |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090109203529/http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=OTgxMDMyNTU4NTE2MjM5MDQyNDlkMzU0YTlkNmNiMjQ= |archive-date=January 9, 2009}}

{{Main|2011 Republican National Committee chairmanship election}}

File:Reince Priebus by Gage Skidmore 2.jpg at the Western Republican Leadership Conference in October 2011 in Las Vegas]]

Michael Steele ran for re-election at the 2011 RNC winter meeting.{{cite news |url=http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/12/13/sources-say-steele-will-seek-second-term-rnc-chair |title=Steele Seeks Second Term As RNC Chair |first=Doug |last=McKelway |date=December 13, 2010 |access-date=March 12, 2014 |newspaper=Fox News |archive-date=December 14, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101214235650/http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/12/13/sources-say-steele-will-seek-second-term-rnc-chair |url-status=dead }} Other candidates were Reince Priebus, Republican Party of Wisconsin Chairman, Ann Wagner, former Ambassador to Luxembourg, Saul Anuzis, former Republican Party Chairman of Michigan, and Maria Cino, former acting Secretary of Transportation under George W. Bush. Steele's critics increasingly called on him to step down as RNC Chair when his term ended in 2011. A debate for Chairman hosted by Americans for Tax Reform took place on January 3 at the National Press Club.{{cite news |url=https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/76074-steele-faces-opposition-dissent-among-rnc-members/ |title=Steele faces opposition, dissent among RNC members |date=November 27, 2010 |access-date=March 11, 2014 |newspaper=The Hill |first=Elise |last=Viebeck |archive-date=March 12, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140312224959/http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/130791-steele-faces-opposition-dissent-among-rnc-members |url-status=live }}{{cite web|url=http://www.rncdebate.org/ |publisher=Americans for Tax Reform and The Daily Caller |access-date=March 11, 2014 |title=The RNC Chairman's Debate |date=January 3, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140312224431/http://www.rncdebate.org/ |archive-date=March 12, 2014}} The election for Chairman took place January 14 at the RNC's winter meeting with Reince Priebus winning on the seventh ballot after Steele and Wagner withdrew.

:{{Color box|limegreen|border=darkgray}} Candidate won majority of votes in the round

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Priebus won re-election with near unanimity in the party's 2013 meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina.{{cite news |url=https://time.com/3624743/rnc-reince-priebus-reelection-bid/ |title=RNC Chairman Reince Priebus Set for Re-Election Bid |first=Zeke J |last=Miller |newspaper=Time |date=December 8, 2014 |access-date=June 25, 2016 |quote=Priebus was re-elected to his second term with near unanimity in 2013 at the party's meeting in Charlotte |archive-date=September 13, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160913101214/http://time.com/3624743/rnc-reince-priebus-reelection-bid/ |url-status=live }} He was re-elected to a third term in 2015, setting him up to become the longest serving head of the party ever.{{cite news |last=Preston |first=Mark |date=January 16, 2015 |title=Priebus overwhelmingly elected to third term as RNC chairman |work=CNN |url=http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/16/politics/priebus-reelected-to-third-term-as-rnc-chairman/ |url-status=live |access-date=June 25, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160628045012/http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/16/politics/priebus-reelected-to-third-term-as-rnc-chairman |archive-date=June 28, 2016 |quote=Priebus was elected Friday in a resounding vote to serve a third term as chairman of the Republican National Committee, putting him on course to become the longest serving head of the national party in history.}}

After winning in November 2016, President-elect Donald Trump designated Priebus as his White House Chief of Staff, to begin upon his taking office in January 2017; David Bossie of Maryland was seen as a potential next RNC chairman.{{Cite web |url=http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/donald-trump-names-rnc-chair-reince-priebus-chief-staff-sources-n683276 |title=Donald Trump Names RNC Chair Reince Priebus Chief of Staff |last1=Jackson |first1=Hallie |last2=Tur |first2=Katy |last3=Jaffe |first3=Alexandra |date=November 13, 2016 |work=NBC News |pages=1 |access-date=November 13, 2016 |archive-date=November 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122210630/http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/donald-trump-names-rnc-chair-reince-priebus-chief-staff-sources-n683276 |url-status=live }}

Trump then recommended Ronna Romney McDaniel as RNC Chairwoman and she was elected to that role by the RNC in January 2017. McDaniel was re-elected in 2019 and 2021.{{cite news |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/533337-ronna-mcdaniel-reelected-as-rnc-chair/ |title=Ronna McDaniel reelected as RNC chair |date=January 8, 2021 |work=The Hill |first=Max |last=Greenwood |access-date=January 8, 2021 |archive-date=January 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210108165823/https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/533337-ronna-mcdaniel-reelected-as-rnc-chair |url-status=live }} Mike Lindell announced that he would challenge McDaniel in 2023. Lindell accused McDaniel of not denying the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election forcefully enough, and criticized her for presiding over the RNC during three disappointing election years.{{cite web|url= https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/mypillow-ceo-mike-lindell-launches-odd-campaign-rnc-chair-rcna59136|title= MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell launches odd campaign for RNC chair|website=MSNBC|date= 29 November 2022|access-date= 2022-11-30|archive-date= 2022-11-30|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20221130044529/https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/mypillow-ceo-mike-lindell-launches-odd-campaign-rnc-chair-rcna59136|url-status= live}} McDaniel was re-elected in to a fourth term in January 2023, easily defeating Lindell and California RNC committeewoman Harmeet Dhillon.{{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/republican-national-committee-elects-chair/ |title=Ronna McDaniel reelected Republican National Committee chaiinr |date=January 27, 2023 |work=CBS News |first1=Musadiq |last1=Bidar |first2=Fin |last2=Gómez |access-date=January 28, 2023 |archive-date=January 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230127211926/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/republican-national-committee-elects-chair/ |url-status=live }}

{{Color box|limegreen|border=darkgray}} Candidate won majority of votes in the round

On February 6, 2024, The New York Times reported that McDaniel intended to resign after the South Carolina Republican presidential primary held on February 24, 2024, following dissatisfaction from former president Donald Trump, who publicly supported North Carolina Republican Party chair Michael Whatley.{{Cite news |date=2024-02-07 |title=Ronna McDaniel, R.N.C. Chairwoman, Plans to Step Down |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/06/us/politics/ronna-mcdaniel-rnc-trump.html |access-date=2024-03-13 |language=en |last1=Haberman |first1=Maggie |last2=Goldmacher |first2=Shane |last3=Swan |first3=Jonathan |last4=Karni |first4=Annie }}{{Cite web |last=Hagstrom |first=Anders |date=2024-02-26 |title=RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel to resign after Super Tuesday |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/rnc-chair-ronna-mcdaniel-resign-super-tuesday-reports |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=Fox News |language=en-US}}

McDaniel confirmed these reports when, on February 26, 2024, she and Drew McKissick announced their resignations as chair and co-chair of the RNC effective on March 8, 2024.{{Cite web |date=2024-02-26 |title=RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel announces resignation after Trump criticism |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2024-election/rnc-chair-ronna-mcdaniel-resignation-rcna137347 |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=NBC News |language=en}} Later that same day, Michael Whatley, chair of the North Carolina Republican Party, announced that he would seek the position of RNC chair.

Lara Trump, daughter-in-law of former president Donald Trump, also announced on February 28 that she would seek to succeed McKissick as co-chair of the RNC.{{Cite web |last=Hagstrom |first=Anders |date=2024-02-28 |title=Lara Trump officially announces campaign for RNC co-chair as Trump loyalists move in |url=https://www.foxnews.com/politics/lara-trump-officially-announces-campaign-rnc-co-chair-trump-loyalists-move |access-date=2024-03-13 |website=Fox News |language=en-US}} Both Whatley and Trump gained the endorsement of former President Trump.

Whatley and Trump were both elected via acclamation as chair and co-chair of the Republican National Committee on March 8, 2024.

Whatley was reelected as RNC chair on January 17, 2025, and KC Crosbie, whom Donald Trump endorsed, was elected as co-chair, after Lara Trump chose not to continue in the role.{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/01/17/michael-whatley-reelected-rnc-chair-00198968 |title=Michael Whatley reelected RNC chair |date=2025-01-17 |website=Politico |first=Natalie |last=Allison |access-date=2025-02-07}}

==Current Republican National Committee members==

A collapsible list of the voting members of the Republican National Committee follows, {{as of|2025|4|10|df=us|lc=y}}.{{cite web |title=RNC Members |url=https://www.gop.com/about-our-party/rnc-members/ |access-date=August 28, 2023 |website=Republican National Committee}} The state chair, national committeeman and national committeewoman each receive one vote at RNC meetings and vote for RNC chairmanship.

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In February 2014, during the chairmanship of Reince Priebus, the RNC launched an in-house technology incubator called Para Bellum Labs.{{cite news|title=RNC Tries to Lure Tech Talent|url=https://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/02/04/rnc-tries-to-lure-tech-talent-for-digital-incubator/|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=4 February 2014|quote=The RNC Tuesday is announcing the formation of Para Bellum Labs, an in-house technology incubator that combines the committee's data-analytics arm with its digital-marketing unit.|last1=O'Connor|first1=Patrick|access-date=4 August 2017|archive-date=14 April 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414041950/http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/02/04/rnc-tries-to-lure-tech-talent-for-digital-incubator/|url-status=live}} This new unit of the RNC was first headed by Azarias Reda, an engineer with a PhD in computer science from the University of Michigan. The effort is designed to help the party and its candidates bridge the technology gap. "Para bellum", translated from Latin, means "prepare for war."{{cite news |url=http://www.nationalreview.com/article/370962/rncs-data-push-greeted-skepticism-eliana-johnson |title=RNC's Data Push Greeted with Skepticism |publisher=National Review |date=February 12, 2014 |access-date=November 6, 2015 |first=Eliana |last=Johnson |quote=the RNC last week unveiled Para Bellum Labs — para bellum is Latin for 'prepare for war' — an initiative designed to help the party and its candidates bridge the technology gap |archive-date=January 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170102172043/http://www.nationalreview.com/article/370962/rncs-data-push-greeted-skepticism-eliana-johnson |url-status=live }}

In September 2019, McDaniel emailed Doug Manchester, whose nomination to become Ambassador to the Bahamas was stalled in the Senate, asking for $500,000 in donations to the Republican Party. Manchester responded, noting that his wife had given $100,000 and that his family would "respond" once he was confirmed by the Republican-led Senate to the ambassadorship. Manchester copied the email to aides of two U.S. senators whose support he needed to win confirmation. CBS News described McDaniel's action as a "possible pay-for-play scheme" for the ambassadorship.{{Cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/doug-manchester-possible-pay-to-play-scheme-for-ambassador-role-in-trump-administration-uncovered/ |title=Possible pay-to-play scheme for ambassador role in Trump administration uncovered by CBS News |date=November 18, 2019 |work=CBS News |language=en |access-date=2019-11-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191119012713/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/doug-manchester-possible-pay-to-play-scheme-for-ambassador-role-in-trump-administration-uncovered/ |archive-date=November 19, 2019 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.vox.com/2019/11/18/20970842/ronna-mcdaniel-rnc-doug-manchester-ambassador-bahamas-trump|title=New investigation suggests Republicans took ambassadorial pay-to-play to new levels|last=Rupar|first=Aaron|date=2019-11-18|website=Vox|language=en|access-date=2019-11-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191119012644/https://www.vox.com/2019/11/18/20970842/ronna-mcdaniel-rnc-doug-manchester-ambassador-bahamas-trump|archive-date=November 19, 2019|url-status=live}} The San Diego Union-Tribune reported in May 2021 that a federal grand jury had issued a subpoena in a criminal investigation into Manchester's nomination, apparently focused on the RNC, McDaniel and RNC co-chair Tommy Hicks, "and possibly members of Congress". The Union-Tribune reported the investigation began in 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/watchdog/story/2021-05-15/manchester-contributions-probe|title=Manchester's political contributions, ambassador nod are subject of criminal probe|date=May 15, 2021|website=San Diego Union-Tribune|access-date=2021-05-16|archive-date=2021-05-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516191530/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/watchdog/story/2021-05-15/manchester-contributions-probe|url-status=live}}

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• Democratic National Committee
• Green National Committee
• Libertarian National Committee
• Republicans Overseas

{{reflist}}

• Cotter, Cornelius P., and Bernard C. Hennessy, eds. Politics without Power: The National Party Committees (1964) [https://www.amazon.com/Politics-without-Power-National-Committees/dp/0202363171/ excerpt]
• Galvin, Daniel J. "The Transformation of Political Institutions: Investments in Institutional Resources and Gradual Change in the National Party Committees," Studies in American Political Development 26 (April 2012) 50–70; [https://sites.northwestern.edu/danieljgalvin/files/2020/06/Galvin-SAPD-Transformation-of-Political-Institutions.pdf online]
• Galvin, Daniel J. Presidential Party Building: Dwight D. Eisenhower to George W. Bush (Princeton UP, 2010).
• Goldman, Ralph M. The National party Chairmen and Committees: Factionalism at the Top (M.E. Sharpe, 1990)
• Heersink, Boris (2023). [https://academic.oup.com/book/46556 National Party Organizations and Party Brands in American Politics: The Democratic and Republican National Committees, 1912-2016]. Oxford University Press. {{doi|10.1093/oso/9780197695104.001.0001}}. {{ISBN|978-0-19-769514-2}}.
• Heersink, Boris. "Examining Democratic and Republican National Committee Party Branding Activity, 1953–2012." Perspectives on Politics (2021): 1–18.
• Heersink, Boris. "Trump and the party-in-organization: Presidential control of national party organizations." Journal of Politics 80.4 (2018): 1474–1482. [https://www.borisheersink.com/s/Heersink-Trump-and-the-Party-in-Organization.pdf online]
• Heersink, Boris. "Party Brands and the Democratic and Republican National Committees, 1952–1976." Studies in American Political Development 32.1 (2018): 79–102. [https://www.borisheersink.com/s/Heersink-Party-Brands-and-National-Committees.pdf online]
• Hejny, Jessica, and Adam Hilton. "Bringing contention in: a critical perspective on political parties as institutions." Studies in Political Economy 102.2 (2021): 161–181.
• Hennessy, Bernard C. "The Republican National Committee and Party Policy, 1920-1963." in Politics Without Power (Routledge, 2017) pp. 191–210.
• Herrnson, Paul S. "The Evolution of National Party Organizations," in The Oxford Handbook of American Political Parties and Interest Groups, edited by L. Sandy Maisel and Jeffrey M. Berry. (Oxford University Press, 2010) pp. 245–264.
• Klinkner, Philip A. The Losing Parties: Out-Party National Committees, 1956-1993 (Yale University Press, 1994)
• Pavlov, Eugene, and Natalie Mizik. "Brand Political Positioning: Implications of the 2016 US Presidential Election." Available at SSRN 3696652 (2020). [https://www.msi.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/MSI_Report_21-122-5.pdf online]

• [http://www.gop.com/ Official website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090227180356/http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/Research/Finding_Aids/PDFs/Republican_National_Committee_Newsclippings.pdf Republican National Committee: News clippings and publications, 1932-65, Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library]
• [http://www.parabellumlabs.com/ Para Bellum Labs] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215210241/http://www.parabellumlabs.com/ |date=2017-02-15 }}

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