BREAKING: Lara Trump elected unanimously as RNC co-chair

On Friday, the Republican National Committee (RNC) voted to elect Lara Trump as its new co-chair, along with Michael Whatley as the committee's new chairman.

The move comes as the RNC works to conduct an overhaul of the party's central committee, following years of disappointments under former RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel's leadership.

Lara Trump is the eldest daughter-in-law to former President Donald J. Trump, who has emerged as the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. She is married to Eric Trump and the couple has two children.

Speaking to the RNC as its new co-chair, Lara Trump unveiled a $100,000 check that had been given to the committee by a donor and asserted the importance of raising money ahead of the election in November.

In addition to Michael Whatley and Lara Trump, the RNC's operations will be headed by Chris LaCivita, who is a top adviser to the Trump campaign.

Whatley, who was also unanimously elected on Friday to replace McDaniel, pledged to expand efforts to address key concerns heading into November. This includes ensuring the election is free from potential fraudulent activity by deploying poll watchers, workers, and judges to oversee the casting of ballots and ballot tabulations in real-time.

"The Republican National Committee will be focused like a laser on getting out the vote and protecting the ballot," said Whatley in his acceptance speech. "If our voters don’t have confidence that our elections are safe and secure, nothing else matters… Over the next eight months, the RNC will work hand in glove with President Trump’s campaign."

Trump had also selected Ronna McDaniel, the outgoing chair of the RNC who formally resigned on Friday, in 2017. After winning a historic fourth term in January 2023, which was meant to serve until 2025, she made her resignation offer in February as Trump and his advisors began to express growing disapproval of her leadership.

Following the effective merger between the RNC and the Trump campaign, GOP advisers will work to close the gap on the Democrat Party's dominant fundraising efforts toward President Biden's reelection campaign through joint fundraising opportunities, according to the Washington Post.

Additionally, the RNC will reportedly work alongside the Trump campaign with field operations in swing states, voter mobilization campaigns, and legal challenges to voting processes and possible outcome contests.

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