MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell will run for Republican National Committee chair next year, he announced Monday, in a bid to make election denial the party’s core focus, a longshot challenge to current RNC chair and Trump ally Ronna McDaniel’s quest for reelection after a worse-than-expected GOP performance in this year’s midterms.
In an interview on Steve Bannon’s show, Lindell said he is “100% running,” claiming the Republican Party has not worked hard enough to combat supposed voter fraud.
Lindell argued the party didn’t lend enough support to candidates who made false voter fraud allegations the centerpieces of their campaigns this year, including Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, Arizona secretary of state nominee Mark Finchem and Michigan attorney general candidate Matt DePerno—all of whom lost.
The RNC’s 168 members—three per state or territory—are expected to elect a chair to a two-year term during the party’s winter meeting in January.
Lindell will likely face an uphill battle, however: McDaniel is reportedly planning to run for a fourth term as chair, and just over 100 of the party’s voting members endorsed her reelection in a letter obtained by The Hill earlier this month.
Lindell isn’t the only possible candidate aside from McDaniel. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) told committee members he is “very seriously considering” running for RNC chair, Politico reported two weeks ago, after the Trump-backed Long Island congressman lost a bid for New York governor...
Welcome to Reality Check, NewsGuard’s nonpartisan newsletter that tracks the false claims and conspiracy theories that shape our world — and who’s behind them. Please support us by becoming a premi...