RNC chair touts ‘deep bench’ of GOP presidential candidates

Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel touted the GOP’s “deep bench” of presidential candidates as the Republican party prepares for a potentially crowded primary in the 2024 race. 

“It could be a big stage … I think it speaks about the deep bench we have. I mean, we have so many great governors, senators, congressional leaders, business leaders, a former president. We have such a great bench of candidates,” McDaniel said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Former President Trump and his former ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, so far are the only declared Republicans in the race but a number of other prominent party figures are expected to join them including Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and former Vice President Mike Pence.

“I look at the Democrats, what they’re doing to limit any competition to Biden,” McDaniel said, highlighting the Democrats’ new tweaks to their presidential nominating calendar, which include shifting New Hampshire out of its first-in-the-nation slot. “Why? Because Joe Biden came in eighth. So that is a president who’s weak, who’s worried about competition from his own party, and we have a broad bench ready to run for president.”

McDaniel stressed that the RNC will likely be asking candidates to commit to backing whoever ultimately wins the GOP nomination despite suggestions by Trump that he may not agree to pledge to support whoever is chosen.

“I expect that they will accept the results in 2024. I’m not — I don’t know who that person is right now. But, yes, we’re going to accept the results. And we’re going to move forward and work to govern this country. But I think they’re going to accept the results because they’re going to be the president,” she said.