Ronna McDaniel, who recently left her post as head of the Republican National Committee, has been stirring up headlines with a series of statements regarding the 2020 election certification and her take on the January 6 Capitol riot. In an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," McDaniel stood by a call she made with former President Donald Trump, pressuring GOP canvassers in Michigan not to certify the election results, The Detroit News reported.
During her televised appearance, McDaniel clarified her position stating, "Our call that night was to say, 'Are you OK?'" She expressed that the intent was not to coerce but to check on the canvassers' well-being under pressure, an account that might seem at odds with the details revealed in the recordings of the call. Nevertheless, McDaniel defended the actions of that day, insisting she believed nobody should be bullied or threatened into a vote, according to The Detroit News.
Aside from her defense regarding the 2020 election, McDaniel also addressed the January 6 Capitol attack, calling it "unacceptable" and stating that it did not represent her party. "When you're the RNC chair, you kind of take one for the whole team, right now, I get to be a little bit more myself," McDaniel told CNN. Her criticism comes after a period of tension and criticism from Trump, who believed the RNC should have fought harder for his 2020 election claims.
McDaniel's statements have come under scrutiny, with some conservatives taking issue with her transition to NBC News as a political analyst, and others raising eyebrows at her newly-found voice against the former President's plan to pardon January 6 rioters if re-elected. "If you attacked our Capitol and you have been convicted, then that should stay. I do not feel that people who committed violent acts on Jan. 6 should be free." McDaniel said in a deadlinedetroit interview. This position reflects a stark departure from her tenure as RNC chair, where she largely remained silent on the matter.
Despite the controversy, McDaniel has moved quickly to establish her post-RNC narrative. While acknowledging Biden's victory as "fair and square," she still voiced concerns over unspecified "issues" with the vote, in an attempt to thread a delicate line between differing factions within the GOP. Her new role at NBC News, secured amid a time of infighting within the Republican ranks, will place her insights into the party's internal dynamics under an even brighter spotlight.
