Ronna McDaniel Confirms She Will Make Candidates Sign a Loyalty Pledge in Order to Debate

Ronna McDaniel remains the head of the RNC after a contentious fight for her job earlier this year. Since then, she has had to carefully navigate a landscape that is turning into a fiery battleground.

With the 2024 presidential primary underway (three declared candidates and a handful of others expected to jump in soon), McDaniel has to try to find a way to keep the party’s eyes on the prize, which is defeating Joe Biden (or whoever the Democrats may have to run) next year.

The RNC has already officially made the rule change, with people questioning whether or not it would really work. But it seems that McDaniel is determined to get candidates on the record about their intentions, so she is implementing it.

On CNN’s “State of the Union,” McDaniel told Dana Bash “We’re saying you’re not going to get on the debate stage unless you make this pledge,” explaining that Republican voters are tired of GOP “infighting”, and “want to see us come together.”

Will it work? She seems to think so.

McDaniel said she expects all candidates who decided to join what may become a crowded race to sign the pledge, describing it as “a no-brainer.”

“If you’re going to be on the Republican National Committee debate stage asking voters to support you, you should say, I’m going to support the voters and who they choose as the nominee,” McDaniel said.

But earlier this month, Trump told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt his support for the GOP candidate in the general election would depend on who the nominee was.

McDaniel, however, said she believes the former president will sign the pledge. “I think they all want to be on the debate stage. I think President Trump would like to be on the debate stage. That’s what he likes to do. And I expect they will all be there.”

I admit I am hesitant to assume Donald Trump would support any candidate who is not named Donald Trump. Likewise, if some of the folks who are toying with the idea of running are so ideologically anti-Trump (like Larry Hogan, for example), I can’t imagine they would support Trump if he got the nomination. Now, if the RNC instituted some sort of punishment for those who go back on their word, and they hold to that, I would be a lot more supportive.

But, people who run for president don’t do so without a certain amount of ego that borders on insanity. To put yourself out there, to take everything those candidates (and eventual winners) take, and somehow think that, in this great big country, they are somehow the only man who can tame America’s raging passions and issues.

So I imagine that getting everyone in line with this pledge will require some arm-twisting, but it’s not impossible. Especially if they don’t want to be exposed as a solely self-interested candidate. Those working for the “betterment of the country” will rally behind the nominee no matter what.

I suppose it does come down to what Trump will say and do here. Trump is in it for Trump and always has been. He has been loyal to his supporters – pushing policies that those who got him into office wanted – but he wants to win in 2024 to redeem himself. Can the GOP survive his revenge tour?