Ronna McDaniel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ronna McDaniel
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McDaniel in 2018
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| 65th Chair of the Republican National Committee | |
| In office January 19, 2017 – March 8, 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Reince Priebus |
| Succeeded by | Michael Whatley |
| Chair of the Michigan Republican Party | |
| In office February 21, 2015 – January 19, 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Bobby Schostak |
| Succeeded by | Ronald Weiser |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ronna Romney
March 20, 1973 Austin, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Patrick McDaniel |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Ronna Romney (mother) Mitt Romney (uncle) See Romney family |
| Education | Brigham Young University (BA) |
Ronna Romney McDaniel (born March 20, 1973) is an American politician. She was the chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC) from 2017 to 2024. The RNC is the main leadership group for the Republican Party.
McDaniel comes from the well-known Romney family, which has many politicians. Her uncle is U.S. Senator Mitt Romney. She is known for being a strong supporter of former President Donald Trump.
While she was chair of the RNC, the Republican Party lost some important elections. This included elections for state governors, seats in the United States Senate and House of Representatives, and the presidency in 2020.
After the 2020 election, which Joe Biden won, McDaniel and the RNC claimed there were problems with the voting. She was involved in a plan to use alternate groups of electors to try and help Trump win. In 2024, she stepped down as RNC chair.
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Early Life and Family
Ronna McDaniel was born Ronna Romney in Austin, Texas. She was the third of five children. Her family has a long history in politics. Her grandfather, George W. Romney, was the governor of Michigan for three terms. Her mother, also named Ronna Romney, ran for the U.S. Senate.
McDaniel has said that her family inspired her to get involved in politics. She went to Lahser High School in Michigan. Later, she earned a degree in English from Brigham Young University.
Political Career
McDaniel began her career working for media and production companies. She later got involved in politics by working on her uncle Mitt Romney's campaign for president in 2012.
In 2015, she was elected to lead the Michigan Republican Party. During the 2016 presidential election, she was a strong supporter of Donald Trump.
Chair of the Republican National Committee
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In late 2016, President-elect Trump chose McDaniel to lead the RNC. She was officially elected in January 2017. She became only the second woman to ever hold the job. She was re-elected three more times, making her the longest-serving RNC chair since the Civil War.
In February 2024, McDaniel announced she would leave her position. Her time as chair ended on March 8, 2024.
Fundraising and Party Leadership
As chair, one of McDaniel's main jobs was to raise money for the Republican Party. She was very successful at this. In 2018, for example, the RNC had raised much more money than the Democratic Party's main committee.
In 2021, McDaniel announced the creation of the RNC Pride Coalition. This group was made with the Log Cabin Republicans, a group for LGBT Republicans. The decision caused some disagreement within the party. McDaniel said the group was meant to connect with voters and did not change the party's official positions.
Support for Donald Trump
McDaniel was known for being very loyal to Donald Trump. Under her leadership, the RNC often promoted Trump and his policies. The RNC spent money on ads for his 2020 campaign as early as 2018. It also paid for his legal fees during an investigation into the 2016 election.
When her uncle, Mitt Romney, wrote an article in 2019 that criticized President Trump, McDaniel publicly disagreed with him. She said her uncle's comments were "disappointing and unproductive."
2020 Election Claims
Before the 2020 election, McDaniel spoke out against plans to expand voting by mail. She said it could lead to problems with the election's fairness. Many election experts say that voting by mail is safe and that major problems are rare.
After Joe Biden won the 2020 election, McDaniel and the RNC made claims that the election was not fair. She was asked by Trump and his lawyer John Eastman to help organize groups of "fake electors." These were people who would claim Trump had won in states that he had actually lost.
In 2022, McDaniel led the RNC to formally criticize two Republican members of Congress, Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger. They were part of a committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. The RNC's official statement described the events of that day as "legitimate political discourse."
Later Work
In March 2024, NBC News hired McDaniel to be a political commentator on TV. However, many journalists at NBC publicly disagreed with the decision. They pointed to her past statements about the 2020 election. Just four days later, NBC changed its mind, and she left the network.
In May 2025, it was announced that McDaniel would become the CEO of the Michigan Forward Network. The new organization, supported by the DeVos family, aims to help elect Republicans in Michigan.
Personal Life
McDaniel is married to Patrick McDaniel, and they have two children. The family lives in Northville, Michigan. She is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
See also
In Spanish: Ronna McDaniel para niños
