Incoming Sen. Mitt Romney’s (R-UT) critical op-ed about President Donald Trump has renewed fears within the RNC of a moderate Republican mounting a primary challenge to Trump in 2020 and consideration of altering the rules to protect him.
According to a Wednesday Washington Examiner report, RNC committeeman Jevon Williams sounded the alarm in a mass email.
“Unfortunately, loopholes in the rules governing the 2020 re-nomination campaign are enabling these so-called Republicans to flirt with the possibility of contested primaries and caucuses,” Williams wrote.
“While President Trump would win re-nomination it wouldn’t come quick and it wouldn’t be inexpensive. Any contested re-nomination campaign—even a forlorn hope—would only help Democrats,” he continued. “Accordingly, I am asking for your support to take the unprecedented step of amending the rules to close loopholes in the re-nomination campaign…”
An RNC spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This is not the first time RNC members have toyed with the idea of manipulating the primary process to give Trump a buffer.
However, a complicating factor in this go-round is the RNC chairwoman, Ronna McDaniel’s, relationship to the man who caused the concern — McDaniel is Romney’s niece.
However, based on McDaniel’s Twitter reaction, she has already decided with whom her loyalty lies.
POTUS is attacked and obstructed by the MSM media and Democrats 24/7. For an incoming Republican freshman senator to attack @realdonaldtrump as their first act feeds into what the Democrats and media want and is disappointing and unproductive. https://t.co/ArhI7Bi7bo
— Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) January 2, 2019
