How the Republican leadership's priorities loss a Senate majority in the 2022 midterms

How Republican priorities loss a Senate majority in the 2022 midterms.

 By Jessica Schultz Pleasant

December 22, 2022

This past 2022 midterm election was primed for a Republican sweep. Democrat President Joe Biden’s approval rating, record setting inflation and crime with a porous southern border’s crossings have plagued the Democrat party. Conservatives believe the blame lies within Republican leadership. After only recovering the House, Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel and Senator Mitch McConnell remain under fire for failing to deliver Republicans a majority in the Senate.

Decisions were made to spend money in elections projected to be a republican win and not used in elections where republican politicians faced a real challenge. This past election’s loses raised concerns as to how the RNC is prioritizing the donations to the party. RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel has been criticized for lavish spending and poor decisions on where to allocate support.

In Alaska, Republican leaders, like Senator Mitch McConnel (R-Ky), ignored republican candidates in other states to provide funding to candidates like Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Ak). Senator Murkowski was running against a fellow republican named Kelly Tschibaka. Many people believe preserving Murkowski’s power was more important than gaining more Republican seats. Murkowski was more than willing to risk majority control in the Senate to remain in her position.

McConnel’s nepotism in Murkowski’s favor funded her campaign with monies from the Senate Leadership Fund. The GOP of Alaska supported senate candidate Tschibaka, but McConnell supported the petty and dishonest hit pieces and ads targeting a fellow Republican. McConnel did not prioritize campaigns in tight races in blue and purple states.

According to Axios, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) criticized McConnell on his podcast, “Verdict”, saying he believed McConnell’s influence on the Senate Leadership Fund cancelled $9.6 million in television ads. McConnell used this influence to impact the race between Murkowski and Tschibaka.

According to The Federalist, campaign finance data from Murkowski’s campaign showed 85% pf the Murkowski’s contributions were from out of state in the 2022 midterm. Her opponent, Tschibaka, was supported by the state party and small-dollar donations speaks to the reach of Tschibaka’s message. The people of Alaska gave their hard-earned money to Tschibaka’s campaign and had to compete against an incumbent supported primarily by out of state political action committees.

The Federalist reports Murkowski “raised more than $5 million to protect her incumbent status, is financed by large contributions from individuals and political action committees (PACs) providing more than 89 percent of her funding. Less than 5 percent have come from small individual contributions.”

In regard to the complaints against RNC Chair McDaniels, RedState writer Jennifer Van Laar reported an analysis was initiated into the RNC budget and discovered spending of donations were spent on luxuries. “Perhaps because of these losses both RNC donors and committee members are intensely interested in the committee’s finances, particularly the spending,” reported Laar.


RedState was provided a budget report, dated October 7, 2022, allowing RedState to examine excessive spending towards, “more than $500,000 in private jet expenses, $64,000 at clothing retailers, and $321,000 in floral arrangements.”


In recent years, the RNC has been criticized for the use of donations towards parties, first class flights, and mementos. The RNC is a committee that is meant to accept donations to provide funds to GOP candidates, but the analysis shows the RNC has spent ridiculous amounts on pleasures for members and donors. According to RedState, donor mementos included custom pins by jeweler Ann Hand and Chemart Christmas presents. For reference, Chemart is the producer of the White House Christmas ornaments. The RNC spent $17 million on donor mementos under McDaniel’s leadership..

RedState compares the RNC spending to that of the Democrat National Committee and found the RNC outspent the DNC in many ways. “For perspective, the Democratic National Committee has spent $1.5 million on donor gifts, $35,000 on private jets, and only $1,000 for floral arrangements during the 2021-22 election cycle. Longtime RNC committee members who spoke with RedState said that other than during Michael Steele’s time as chair, it has not been standard practice for the chair to use private jet or chauffeur services.”

Former RNC chair Michael Steele was known for wasteful spending. Controversy around Steele’s own misappropriation of donations remains on the minds of RNC donors. Ronna McDaniel now faces similar calls to be replaced as Chair.

Internal emails have been leaked by RNC committee members to journalists. Committee member Glenn McCall wrote an emailed explanation to others, which was shared by McDaniel with her own comments added. The email subject line included “The Truth about the False Blog Posted Overnight.” McCall’s explanations were less than convincing as reasons for the unnecessary spending.

McCall wrote in McDaniels’s defense and attempted to explain spending used toward Salamander Resort and Spa, “The RNC contracted with the Salamander for a donor retreat in 2020, which we were forced to cancel due to COVID. We had to use or lose, so we applied it toward a donor retreat with a sister committee in the summer of 2021, as well as a working Senior Staff Retreat.”

RedState questions why the RNC would be spending $17 million to donors and provide a donor retreat for $260,000. National committee’s provide funding for events at the White House, which include mementos for holiday parties and congressional picnics. The numbers are still concerning. Out of the $17 million toward donor mementos only $2 million was towards White House events. Jeweler Ann Hand’s products that First Lady Melania Trump prefers was less than $500,000.

McDaniel’s handling of the RNC finances has a major critic, Harmeet Dhillon. According to Dhillon’s law group webpage, she is described as “a nationally recognized lawyer, trusted boardroom advisor, and passionate advocate for individual, corporate and institutional clients across numerous industries and walks of life. Her focus is in commercial litigation, employment law, First Amendment rights, and election law matters.”

Due to an association between RedState writer Jennifer Van Laar and her representing attorney Dhillon is being used to discredit Laar’s reporting. Some attempt to dismiss RedState and Laar as merely bloggers. Regardless of the noise and deflection by those in support of McDaniel’s handling of donor funds, the questions regarding priorities remain. The funding used on luxuries for staff and wealthy donors could have affected key races lost by republicans in the 2022 midterms.

In conclusion, many Alaskans and RNC donors express disappointment with McDaniel and McConnel’s decisions, believing their failures affected the 2022 midterm. Republican candidates in blue and purple states were not prioritized. The RNC failed to deliver the wins that were needed to stop the democrat’s tyrannical legislative assault against the People. Due to McConnell’s age, conservatives hope McConnell will retire. Many people believe he longer understands the People and the time. To return fiscal responsibility to the RNC, some conservatives support McDaniel’s rival, First Amendment defender Harmeet Dhillon.

 

Sources:

1. Badash, D. (DATE). 'Miss Piggy': RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel blasted by conservatives following reports of lavish spending. MSN. Retrieved on December 18, 2022. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/miss-piggy-rnc-chair-ronna-mcdaniel-blasted-by-conservatives-following-reports-of-lavish-spending/ar-AA15kjPq?li=BBnb7Kz

2. Bleau, H. (15 Dec 2022) RNC Chair Race Gets Nasty as Candidates Focus on Committee Spending. Breitbart. Retrieved December 18, 2022. https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/12/15/rnc-chair-race-gets-nasty-as-candidates-focus-on-committee-spending/

3. Knutson, J. (15 Nov 2022). Some in GOP take aim at McConnell after Senate loss. Axios. Retrieved December 18, 2022. https://www.axios.com/2022/11/15/gop-mitch-mcconnell-2022-senate-loss-blame

4. LaChance, M. (14 Dec 2022). More Republicans Back Away From Supporting Ronna McDaniel For RNC Chair. The Gateway Pundit. Retrieved December 18, 2022. https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/12/republicans-back-away-supporting-ronna-mcdaniel-rnc-chair/

5. LaChance, M. (13 Dec 2022). Republican Party Of Texas Calls On Leadership To Replace Ronna McDaniel As RNC Chair. The Gateway Pundit. Retrieved December 18, 2022. https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/12/republican-party-texas-calls-leadership-replace-ronna-mcdaniel-rnc-chair/

6. Peoples, S. (16 Dec 2022). Inside The Ugly Fight To Become The Next Republican Chair. Enterprise Journal.  Retrieved December 18, 2022. https://www.enterprise-journal.com/inside-ugly-fight-become-next-republican-chair#sthash.oGxDV3kd.dpbs

7. Pro Trump News Staff. (15 Dec 2022). SCANDAL: RNC Under Ronna McDaniel Has Spent Millions On Private Jets, Luxury Items. The Gateway Pundit. Retrieved December 18, 2022. https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2022/12/scandal-rnc-spent-millions-private-jets-luxury-expenses-ronna-romney-mcdaniel/

 8. Vespa, M. (16 December 2022). Latest Spending Audit Reinforces Call for New Republican Leadership. TownHall. Retrieved December 18, 2022. https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2022/12/16/rnc-spending-like-drunken-sailors-only-strengthens-the-case-for-new-blood-in-leadership-n2617206


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