Amna: Members of the Republican
national committee are meeting
this week to determine the
party's next leader.
But the race for RNC chair
between incumbent Ronna Mcdaniel
and challenger harmeet Dhillon,
a lawyer and RNC member, is
revealing deeper divisions in
the GOP as Republicans hope to
build a winning strategy for the
2024 campaign.
Erik Iverson is a Republican
strategist and the former chair
of the Montana Republican party.
I want to talk about this RNC
chair race.
Ronna Mcdaniel seems to have the
votes she needs but of course
nothing is done until the vote
which is tomorrow.
But there are clear divisions
playing out in the open here.
What does this battle say to
you?
What is it all about?
Erik: Thanks for having me.
These races tend to take care of
themselves.
We will know by tomorrow who the
new chair is.
For me, what is more important
is what they are going to do.
The new chair of the Republican
party needs to do two things off
the bat.
We have to fix this hard money
gap between Canada's.
We had some of our U.S. Senate
candidates in 2022 being
outspent three to one.
That has to get fixed if
Republicans are going to
compete.
The second thing the chair needs
to do no matter who it is after
tomorrow's vote, we have to stop
whining about mail in ballots
and early votes, and start to be
Democrats at their own game.
Mail balloting is not going to
go away.
We cannot put our heads in the
sand anymore.
We have to get out and quit
whining and start competing when
it comes to the early vote.
Amna: When it comes to the RNC
chair race, the incumbent Ronna
Mcdaniel is being challenged
very, very hard from the right.
And you just had Florida
governor Ron Desantis come out
to say and say I like some of
what army Dylan has to say,
mably we do need some fresh
thinking.
What does that say to you?
Erik: May be governor Desantis
can change a few votes.
Both candidates have some really
high-profile endorsements.
Not so much who is in the chair
but what they will do with it.
But the new chair of the RNC, no
matter who that person is, has a
leg up over where they are at at
the DNC, because they will be
stuck with Joe Biden as
president and his four years of
failed policy.
No matter who the Republican is,
when the dust settles on the
votes are clear, they will have
a much easier job than
Democrats.
Because this race and a lot of
these races will be about Joe
Biden and his failed record.
Amna: Let me ask you about the
Republicans because they are
coming off of a poor midterm
showing.
They failed to win the senate,
barely won the house.
What are the lessons you hope
the party carries forward?
Erik: There are three things
Republicans really need to lean
into and execute in 2024.
The first thing is we need to
talk about solutions to the
problems Democrats created.
Second, we cannot just talk to
our banks.
The third big thing, don't just
talk to white voters.
What I mean by all of that, when
we talk about talking about
solutions, a lot of Republican
candidates, weather for senate
or governor, did a nice job
creating contrast between
themselves and their democratic
opponents, between themselves
and the Joe Biden record.
The Republicans who did a good
job in 2022, the ones who won,
in addition to creating that
contrast, they also talked about
solutions.
Republicans have got to talk
about solutions to the problems
that Democrats created.
They have also got to stop just
talking to the base.
A lot of these races will be
decided by about 10%, 8%, 9% of
voters, those voters in the
middle.
They need to hear solutions.
Republicans need to talk to some
of those independent voters.
I am not saying be less
conservative, I am saying be
smarter about the words we use
in the issues we choose.
Amna: I understand you are
making your party's point.
Democrats would also it is not
about problems they created.
I have to ask about 2024,
because only Donald Trump
officially announced he will be
running.
When you make these points about
where you want to see the party
go, who among the potential
field of candidates -- there are
all these potentials, Mike
pence, Ron Desantis, Nikki
Haley, Tim Scott.
Who is best is ashamed to see?
Erik: There are a lot of great
options, and that primary
process will take care of
itself.
The problem for the Democrats,
the problem is they are stuck
with Joe Biden.
That is a big difference.
This presidential election is
going to be about the incumbent,
and the incumbent's record.
Even if you look at the senate
states, the big senate states
that matter, he's underwater in
his image all across the board.
The Republicans have a great
stable of candidates were either
running or thinking about
running.
That process will shake itself
out.
Democrats are saddled with Joe
Biden.
No matter who emerges from the
Republican primary, they start
with an advantage.
Amna: Erik Iverson, Republican
strategist, good to talk to you.
Thank you for your time.