The Republican National Committee elected Michigan Republican Ronna Romney McDaniel and Bob Paduchik chair and co-chair Thursday. McDaniel is the second woman ever elected RNC chair.
Committee members from states across the country came together in Washington for their winter meeting the day before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. The votes electing McDaniel and Paduchik to their respective positions were both unanimous.
McDaniel, the niece of 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, was Trump’s choice for the post. She had served as the Michigan Republican chairwoman previously, and helped deliver Michigan for Trump and the Republican Party for the first time in decades.
Paduchik most recently served as the Ohio state director for the Trump-Pence presidential campaign. Paduchick also worked as the campaign manager for Ohio Republican Senator Rob Portman’s successful campaign for U.S. Senate in 2010, as well as Ohio state director for Bush Cheney in 2000 and 2004.
“I am leaving an organization that has become almost a second home to me. But I’m not at all concerned about what will become of it,” former RNC Chair Reince Priebus said at the meeting Thursday. “Because the RNC is in the best possible hands with our new Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel and our new Co-Chair Bob Paduchik.”
Priebus added, “Ronna and Bob have been loyal Republicans for years and distinguished themselves with an incredible effort this cycle. They went all out to make sure President-elect Donald Trump won their respective battleground states.”