Republican National Committee confronts party infighting as it chooses its leader

Amna Nawaz:

Members of the Republican National Committee are meeting this week to determine the party's next leader.

But the race for RNC chair between incumbent Ronna McDaniel and challenger Harmeet Dhillon, a lawyer and RNC member, is revealing deeper divisions in the GOP, as Republicans hope to build a winning strategy for the 2024 campaign.

Erik Iverson is a Republican strategist and the former chair of the Montana Republican Party.

He joins me now.

Erik, welcome, and thanks for joining us.

Before we get into what all this means for the party, I want to talk about this RNC chair race. Ronna McDaniel seems to have the votes that she needs. But, of course, nothing's done until the vote, which is tomorrow.

But there are clear divisions playing out in the open here, right? What does this battle say to you? What's it all about?

Erik Iverson, Republican Strategist:

Well, first, thanks for having me.

Look, I mean, these races tend to take care of themselves. We will know by tomorrow who the new chair is.

For me. What's more important than who is sitting in that chair is, what are they going to do? I think the new chair of the Republican Party nationally needs to do two things right off the get-go, right off the bat. We have to fix this hard money gap between candidates.

We had some of our U.S. Senate candidates and 2022 being outspent 2-1, 3-1, 3.5-1. That has to get fixed if Republicans are going to compete. The second thing the new chair needs to do, and no matter who that is, after tomorrow's vote, Friday, we have to stop whining about mail-in ballots and early votes and start to beat the Democrats at their own game.

Mail balloting isn't going to go away. We can't put our heads in the sand anymore. We have got to get out there and we have got to quit whining and start competing when it comes to the early vote.

Amna Nawaz:

When it comes to this RNC chair race, though, I do have to ask, because the incumbent here, Ronna McDaniel, is being challenged very, very hard from the right by Harmeet Dhillon here.

And you just had Florida Governor Ron DeSantis come out today and say: You know, I like some of what Harmeet Dhillon has to say, and maybe we do need some fresh thinking.

What does that say to you?

Erik Iverson:

Look, I mean, maybe Governor DeSantis coming out can change a few votes. I mean, I know both candidates have some really high-profile endorsements.

But, again, it's not so much who's in the chair, but what they're going to do with it. But I will tell you this. The new chair of the RNC, no matter who that person is, has a leg up over where they're at the DNC, because the DNC is going to be stuck with Joe Biden as president and his four years of failed policy.

So, look, no matter who the Republican is, when the dust settles and the votes are cleared, they're going to have a much easier job than the Democrat, because this race and a lot of these races are going to be about Joe Biden and his failed record.

Amna Nawaz:

Well, let me ask you about the Republicans, then, because they they're coming off what I would call a poor midterm showing. I think you would agree. They failed to win the Senate, barely won the House.

What are the lessons that you hope the party carries forward?

Erik Iverson:

We did take back control of the House.

But there are three things that I think Republicans really need to lean into and to execute in 2024. And I think the first thing is, look, we need to talk about solutions to the problems that Democrats created. Second of all, we can't just talk to our base. And, finally, I think the third big thing, look, don't just talk to white voters.

And so what I mean by all that, look, when we talk about talking about solutions, a lot of Republican candidates, whether they were candidates for Senate or candidates for governor, did a nice job of talking — of creating contrasts between themselves and their Democratic opponent, between themselves and the Joe Biden record.

The Republicans who did a good job in 2022, the ones who won, the Brian Kemp, Sheriff Lombardo, Ron DeSantis, in addition to creating that contrast, they also talked about solutions. Republicans have got to talk about solutions to the problems that Democrats created. They have also got to stop just talking to the base.

Look, a lot of these races are going to be decided by about 10 percent, 8 percent, 9 percent of the voters, those voters in the middle. They need to hear solutions. We need to have Republicans not only talking to the base, but let's talk to some of those independent voters.

I'm not saying be less conservative. I'm saying be smarter about the words that we use and the issues that we choose.

Amna Nawaz:

I understand you're making your party's point here. I think Democrats would also argue the economy, in particular, it's not about problems they created, but a number of factors there they have to deal with.

I do have to ask you, though, about 2024, because only Donald Trump has officially announced that he's going to be running. When you make these points about where you want to see the party go, who among the potential field of candidates — there's all these potentials, right, Mike Pence, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Tim Scott.

Who do you think is best positioned to carry the message you want to see forward?

Erik Iverson:

Look, there are a lot of great options out there for Republicans. And that's what's exciting.

And that primary process is going to take care of itself. But the problem for — the problem for the Democrats, the problem is, they're stuck with Joe Biden. That's the big difference here. This presidential election is going to be about the incumbent and the incumbent's record.

And Joe Biden — even if you look at the Senate states, the big Senate states that matter, the battleground states, he's underwater in his image all across the board. So, look, the Republicans have a great stable of candidates who are either running or thinking about running. That process is going to shake itself out. The Democrats are saddled with Joe Biden.

And I think, look, no matter who emerges from the Republican primary, they start off with an advantage.

Amna Nawaz:

Erik Iverson, Republican strategist and former chair of the Montana Republican Party, good to talk to you. Thank you for your time.

Erik Iverson:

Thank you.