RNC member drops bid to call Trump ‘presumptive nominee’ after ex-prez’s disapproval
A draft Republican National Committee resolution that would have labeled Donald Trump the presumptive GOP presidential nominee was withdrawn late Thursday after Trump himself publicly expressed disapproval, The Post has learned.
The resolution, proposed by Maryland RNC member David Bossie, would have moved the Republican contest into “general election mode,” despite former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley still competing in the primary.
The proposal was set to be discussed at the RNC’s annual winter meeting, which will take place next week in Las Vegas.
Bossie — who was Trump’s deputy campaign manager in 2016 — withdrew his proposal after the former president wrote on Truth Social that he would rather “finish the process off at the ballot box,” a source familiar confirmed.
In his proposal, Bossie cited the 77-year-old’s back-to-back victories in Iowa and New Hampshire and argued that party resources should be used to wage a campaign against President Biden.
“Resolved, that the Republican National Committee hereby declares President Trump as our presumptive 2024 nominee for the office of President of the United States and from this moment forward moves into full general election mode welcoming supporters of all,” the resolution read.
The draft resolution was first reported by the Dispatch on Thursday.
“While I greatly appreciate the Republican National Committee (RNC) wanting to make me their PRESUMPTIVE NOMINEE, and while they have far more votes than necessary to do it, I feel, for the sake of PARTY UNITY, that they should NOT go forward with this plan,” Trump wrote.
“I should do it the ‘Old Fashioned’ way, and finish the process off AT THE BALLOT BOX. Thank you to the RNC for the Respect and Devotion you have shown me!”
RNC chair Ronna McDaniel has not directly stated that she would like to move forward with Trump, but has hinted that she doesn’t have high hopes for Haley.
“I’m looking at the math and the path going forward, and I don’t see it for Nikki Haley,” McDaniel told Fox News on Tuesday night.
Haley came in third in Iowa, earning eight delegates. She then came in second in New Hampshire, gaining nine more.
Trump is besting her 32-17 in the delegate count, and is likely to win the Nevada caucus on Feb. 8, as Haley chose to participate in the non-binding Feb. 6 primary instead.
Haley’s campaign was not impressed with Bossie’s proposal and called for McDaniel to organize a one-on-one debate between the former South Carolina governor, 52, and Trump.
“Who cares what the RNC says? We’ll let millions of Republican voters across the country decide who should be our party’s nominee, not a bunch of Washington insiders,” campaign spokeswoman Olivia Perez-Cubas said Thursday.
“If Ronna McDaniel wants to be helpful, she can organize a debate in South Carolina, unless she’s also worried that Trump can’t handle being on the stage for 90 minutes with Nikki Haley.”
Bossie did not immediately respond to an inquiry from The Post.
