Fox News host Laura Ingraham pressed Republican National Committee (RNC) chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, saying she ducked a question about her track record at the RNC.
Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy called for McDaniel’s resignation in his opening statement during Wednesday’s Republican presidential debate, drawing a huge round of applause and cheers from the audience the day after Republicans had a disappointing election night, losing control of the Virginia General Assembly and failing to unseat Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear of Kentucky. McDaniel attacked Ramaswamy in a Thursday Fox Business Network appearance, claiming he was in need of “a headline” and accusing him of voting for former President Barack Obama.
Ramaswamy’s campaign website states that he voted for a libertarian candidate in 2004, but did not vote in his 20s.
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“Vivek and others are saying that under your leadership, Republicans have lost election after election and positing the question why should you retain your job given the track record of the party under your leadership, and to that what do you say?” Ingraham asked McDaniel, who fended off a challenge for the chairmanship of the RNC by lawyer Harmeet Dhillon in January, Republicans underperforming expectations of a “red wave” nationally in the 2022 midterm elections.
“I think there was a moment missed during that debate by Vivek to talk about the fact that we still have 13 American hostages in Israel, the fact that for the first time ever in the history of either party we had a Jewish co-sponsor for a debate and we are in very perilous times in our country,” McDaniel responded. “And I do think Republican voters and I hear this echoed all the time are tired of the circular firing squad within our party and they are saying, ‘can we please talk about Joe Biden and the Democrats and the border and fentanyl and crime and what is happening to our kids? And inflation?’ But I will definitely defend my record as chair.”
Ingraham pressed McDaniel on the results of the 2022 and 2023 elections, saying she was avoiding answering her question.
“You went into another conversation,” Ingraham said.
“I’m not trying to avoid anything,” McDaniel responded. “Let me promise you that, Laura. Listen, when Vivek didn’t vote in 2016, I was leading Michigan to the first win in history in 30 years.”
Ingraham also asked McDaniel about reports she refused to provide assistance when the Virginia Republican party asked for last-minute funds before Tuesday’s election.
“A lot of people don’t understand fundraising. I can’t raise state dollars. I don’t get unlimited convention and state dollars, and these were state house and state Senate races,” McDaniel said. “The RNC is a federal committee. So, come on. Can you just – these are people who come after me all the time. They’re on Twitter. They are all the time. And let’s see their results? What did they do in Virginia? How much money did they give?”
Harold Hutchison on November 10, 2023
