Competing RNC proposals offer early support to Trump campaign
Two members of the Republican National Committee (RNC) have put forward proposals to offer early support to President Trump's 2020 re-election campaign. While no Republican has announced a primary challenge to Mr. Trump, Utah Sen. Mitt Romney's recent editorial criticizing the president appears to have sent fear through the GOP that Mr. Trump is losing his grip on the party.
One proposal is by Jevon Williams, the national committeeman from the Virgin Islands. Williams sent an email last week to RNC members denouncing Romney's op-ed in The Washington Post that was critical of Mr. Trump. Williams urged fellow elected RNC members Tuesday night to push for an "unprecedented" rule change to stifle any primary challenge, calling the Romney op-ed "calculated political treachery."
But Jeff Kent, chairman of the RNC's Rules Committee, sent a subsequent email to members stating the RNC "is not amending any rules between now and the convention."
Williams also urged RNC members to pass a resolution during a meeting later this month to "unanimously endorse" Mr. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence's re-nomination, and declare them the "the presumptive Republican presidential and vice presidential nominees in 2020." It also would authorize the RNC and state committees to expend resources to support the Trump campaign.
The second proposal, by Oklahoma committeewoman Carolyn McLarty, does not go so far as to endorse Mr. Trump and Pence in 2020, although it generally praises his policies and declares the RNC "offers its undivided support for President Donald J. Trump and his effective Presidency." During the 2016 Republican primaries, McLarty backed Sen. Ted Cruz.
Some Republicans fear Mr. Trump will face a primary challenge, perhaps from Romney or former Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake. Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich, also a prominent critic of the president, has publicly mulled running for president a second time.