Ronna McDaniel to resign as Republican National Committee chair

Ronna McDaniel, the president of the Republican National Committee (RNC), will present her resignation from her position on March 8, the leader said in a statement.

McDaniel, who has led the Republican Party for seven years, noted that his decision is due to the fact that he wants to “allow our candidate to select a president of his choice,” in reference to Donald Trump, who has just defeated Nikki Haley in the elections. South Carolina Republican Primary.

The RNC chairwoman was hand-picked by Trump in 2016, shortly after his election victory, and has maintained a close relationship with him ever since. The statement highlights that McDaniel and Trump agreed to his departure in a meeting in Houston, Texas, where the party will hold its spring training.

“Historically, the RNC has undergone changes once we have a nominee and it has always been my intention to honor that tradition,” McDaniel noted. “I remain committed to taking back the White House and electing Republicans at all the polls in November,” she said.

Meanwhile, Trump has already prepared candidates to replace McDaniel in the leadership of the RNC. These are Michael Whatley, the current chairman of the North Carolina Republican Party and general counsel of the RNC, who will occupy the presidency, as well as Lara Trump, his daughter-in-law, who will be the co-chair. Party rules require that the chair and co-chair be of opposite sexes.

Trump has also endorsed Chris LaCivita, one of his top advisers, as the RNC’s chief operating officer, a position that is currently vacant. The former president made public his support for these candidates in early February, noting that he expected the shakeup to take effect after the South Carolina primary.

McDaniel’s resignation is expected to take effect a few days before “Super Tuesday,” the day in which several states with many delegates will vote in their presidential primaries. Among them is Michigan, McDaniel’s home state, which will have to choose between Trump and Haley.

With information from ABC News