RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel says she'll step down March 8

Ronna McDaniel, the chair of the Republican National Committee, said Monday that she will step down from her post on March 8.

"It has been the honor and privilege of my life to serve the Republican National Committee for seven years as Chairwoman to elect Republicans and grow our Party," McDaniel, the first woman to serve as RNC chair, said in a statement.

She said she'd step aside at the RNC's "Spring Training on March 8 in Houston to allow our nominee to select a Chair of their choosing." Although former President Donald Trump is not yet his party's nominee for president, he is the prohibitive front-runner.

The decision is not a surprise. McDaniel previously said she'd step down after the South Carolina primary, which was held Saturday. Trump won that contest, defeating his only rival, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, by about 20 percentage points.

Trump, who tapped McDaniel as as RNC chair in 2016, has said he wants Michael Whatley, chair of North Carolina's RNC, to be RNC chair and Lara Trump, the former president's daughter-in-law, to be RNC co-chair.

Also Monday, Drew McKissick, the current RNC co-chair, said he'd step down. [Copyright 2024 NPR]