Ramaswamy launches petition to oust McDaniel

by Julia Mueller - 11/15/23 11:07 AM ET

FILE – Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy speaks at the Republican Party of Florida Freedom Summit, Nov. 4, 2023, in Kissimmee, Fla. Ramaswamy’s presidential campaign has seemingly mirrored his meteoric rise as a biotech entrepreneur. The political novice from Ohio has taken the route of a self-described outsider.((AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy announced a petition to oust Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Ronna McDaniel from her post Wednesday, a week after he called for her to resign from behind his podium during the third GOP debate.

“I am sick & tired of this Republican Establishment that has made us a party of losers. Where is the accountability for years of losing: 2018, 2020, 2022 and now 2023?” Ramaswamy said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

He referenced last week’s primary debate in Miami, during which he publicly called for McDaniel to resign, lamenting the party’s losses across recent election cycles.

“Now, I’m asking grassroots conservatives across the nation to join me so she can feel the power of the people,” Ramaswamy said, asking supporters to add their name to a list on a “FireRonna” website that’s branded as paid for by Vivek 2024.

McDaniel hit back at Ramaswamy after the debate, contending he “needs a headline” to make up for low polling as he looks toward the fourth debate — hosted by NewsNation — which has higher polling and donor criteria for candidates to qualify.

She also argued the “Republican-on-Republican infighting” is hurting the GOP.

Ramaswamy has doubled down on his calls for McDaniel’s resignation or firing in the days after the debate, a move some strategists have pointed to as a ploy for attention and an effort to paint himself in contrast to the party establishment.

The conservative entrepreneur saw momentum earlier this year, but polling after the first few debates indicated a dip in his popularity. FiveThirtyEight’s tracker of polling averages now has Ramaswamy at 5 percent, behind former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley’s 9 percent, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s 14 percent and former President Trump’s leading 58 percent.

“The RNC is focused on firing Joe Biden. If Republicans would like to help with that, visit bankyourvote.com,” RNC spokesperson Emma Vaughn told The Hill after Ramaswamy launched his petition.

NewsNation and The Hill are both owned by Nexstar Media Group.