Ex-RNC chair: GOP’s 'baffling strategic decisions' could imperil Republicans 'down the ballot'

05 April 2024

Former Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele, a Never Trump conservative and MSNBC host who is rooting for President Joe Biden in the 2024 election, has been vehemently critical of the RNC's new ultra-MAGA leadership. In Steele's view, Trump loyalist Michael Whatley (who now holds the position Steele held during Barack Obama's presidency) and RNC co-chair Lara Trump are so focused on Donald Trump's presidential campaign that Republicans in down-ballot races are likely to be neglected.

In a biting MSNBC opinion column published on April 5, Steele argues that the RNC's ultra-MAGA game plan could spell disaster for conservatives.

"Polls show President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump in a dead heat, but the Trump campaign and the GOP are making some baffling strategic decisions that could squander any advantages and hurt candidates down the ballot," explains Steele, who was the RNC's first Black chairman. "Trump has overhauled the Republican National Committee's leadership, naming his inexperienced daughter-in-law co-chair and forcing key staffers to reapply for their jobs when they should be focused on work."

The ex-RNC chairman adds, "Fundraising is withering, as Republicans have drained small donors and Trump has focused on his mounting legal fees. Instead of pivoting to woo swing voters, the campaign is doubling down on red meat."

Steele stresses that under Whatley and Lara Trump, the RNC has a radically different approach from when he chaired the organization.

"As national chairman, I made a concerted effort with every state party to create vigorous coalitions beyond our traditional base of support," the conservative MSNBC host explains. "So, it is political malpractice for the RNC to continue to repel minority voters. While there have been some efforts to recruit minority candidates — and please spare me the 'Black men moving to Trump' narrative — these are undermined when Republicans show who they are by scapegoating diversity, equity and inclusion programs…. There's no significant effort to expand minority support because the party only talks to its base voters."

Steele makes a sports analogy in his column, arguing that "in football terms," the United States' presidential race is "still early in the first quarter."

"Of course, this once-great party has ceded all its common sense and self-preservation to Trump and the MAGA movement," Steele laments. "My half-time talk here is sure to fall on deaf ears. So perhaps the RNC should take a page from the NFL's book and start checking its players for head injuries."

Michael Steele's full MSNBC column is available at this link.

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