10/14/22 RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel talks Jan. 6, campaign finance and crime ahead of the midterms

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Washington, DC – Gray Television White House correspondent and senior national editor Jon Decker interviewed Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Ronna McDaniel for the sixth episode of Gray TV’s Midterm Election Series, “Election 2022 Just the Facts,” airing Saturday, October 15 and Sunday, October 16, 2022.

McDaniel predicted the GOP would win the House of Representatives in November, saying, “We’re going to retire Nancy Pelosi.” She acknowledged taking the Senate would be more difficult, saying first, “we’ll prevail” and then, “I think it will be one seat either way.”

The RNC chair was optimistic about Senate candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz’s chances in Pennsylvania, where he has consistently trailed Democratic candidate John Fetterman in the polls. “Everything is trending towards Oz and we feel really confident in this race,” she said.

On the tight Senate contest in Georgia, she suggested a potential runoff election, adding: “Herschel has done a great job articulating what he will do in the U.S. Senate and not getting distracted by all the smear campaigns the Democrats are throwing his way.”

McDaniel also defended the lack of cash on hand in Republican coffers, saying the RNC has been investing money along the way, particularly in Hispanic, Asian and Black communities. “We’ve reached 70 million voters so far. We’re way ahead of where we were in 2020, and that’s because we’ve put that money into the ground. Sitting on it a month before the election isn’t going to do as much.”

Broadcast excerpts are below.

Ronna McDaniel Highlights

On RNC money

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

At the end of this summer, the DNC actually had more cash on hand than the RNC. It was $56 million to $24 million. I’m sure you’re trying to close that gap … The RNC is paying the personal legal bills for former President Trump. In fact, in the past ten months, $600,000 has gone to lawyers for the former president … Is that a concern that you’re using all this money to pay for the former president’s legal bills and you’re not putting it into those very competitive Senate races?

Ronna McDaniel, RNC Chair

So let me correct you on our spending and where we stand. The RNC has outraised the DNC. So just so you know.

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

But cash on hand is what we’re talking about. It’s how much money you have left right now, right?

Ronna McDaniel, RNC Chair

But let me explain that because we’ve been investing along the way in our record volunteers, in our 38 community centers and Hispanic, Asian and Black community centers. So, we haven’t sat on cash. We’ve been investing it. And you know what you’re hearing from the Hispanic community right now is Democrats are trying to parachute in, in panic mode in the last six weeks of this election and try and build inroads where we’ve been in these communities for the past year. We’ve actually invested in communities and have staff on the ground and having a conversation and that’s why you’re going to see a realignment and a shift with Hispanic voters because of the RNC investments.

Ronna McDaniel, RNC Chair

I understand when you look at numbers. and you don’t always get involved in campaigns, you say cash on hand, it’s the investment. And I know that the RNC investment and what we have done is historic. We’ve reached 70 million voters so far. We’re way ahead of where we were in 2020, and that’s because we’ve put that money into the ground. Sitting on it a month before election isn’t going to do as much.

On January 6

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

“January 6th was a shameful day. A mob bloodied law enforcement and besieged the first branch of government. American citizens tried to use terrorism to stop a democratic proceeding they disliked " – Those are not my words. Those are the words of the leader for Republicans in the Senate, Mitch McConnell. Do you agree with that statement?

Ronna McDaniel, RNC Chair

Well, I condemned it the day of the violence of January 6th. We’ve condemned that many times. In fact, the first thing that happened that day, which the press always forgets, is a bomb was placed outside of my building, the RNC. They have never talked about that bomb. They have never talked about the fact that they’ve never caught the live bomb, the person who put a live bomb outside of my building on January 6th. I would love to get to the bottom of that. And violence is reprehensible at any level.

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

Leader McConnell also said that there’s no question former President Trump bears moral responsibility. Do you agree with that statement?

Ronna McDaniel, RNC Chair

I think President Trump did not cause people to go commit violence.

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

So, you don’t agree with that statement?

Ronna McDaniel, RNC Chair

Sir, I don’t believe that President Trump wanted people to attack the Capitol, and he condemned that. And I think every Republican, every American condemns that. And I think what’s really reprehensible right now is Democrats are watching crime surge. our border open, drugs coming across our border, and they still want to talk about something that has been universally condemned instead of talking about the issues that face average Americans right now that are hurting under Democrat leadership. They own it all. They have the White House, the Senate, and the House, and instead of solving problems for American people who are hurting, they continue to talk about a day where we all condemned the violence across the board, Republicans and Democrats.

On crime statistics

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but the federal government, the DOJ just came out with the violent crime statistics for the most recent year, 2021, actually down 1%. I want to get to your forecast for the midterm elections, the forecast for the midterms…

Ronna McDaniel, RNC Chair

Well, I understand you’re taking the Democrat talking points there.

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

They’re not talking points at all … When I cite facts, they’re not talking points. That’s an actual effect.

Ronna McDaniel, RNC Chair

You know you’re not talking about the cities that are run by Democrats.

On her election forecast

Ronna McDaniel, RNC Chair

Well, we’re going to retire Nancy Pelosi, and I think the Senate is going to be very tight and we’ll prevail. I think it’ll be one seat either way.

Ronna McDaniel, RNC Chair

We have a lot of Republicans retiring in seats where we had incumbents, and we need to pick up a seat where there’s a Democrat incumbent in Arizona, Nevada, Georgia or New Hampshire Also Colorado and Washington are in play as well. But, what I know is the American people recognize that the Democrats have turned their back on their problems right now, and they are failing at every level. Inflation is higher, gas prices are higher, groceries or higher, rent is higher, crime is skyrocketing, drugs are coming across our border, and they have not solved any of those problems. And that’s why Republicans will win in the midterms.

On the Pennsylvania Senate race

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

You have a really tough job in the sense that Republicans have more seats to defend than Democrats in this election cycle. Let’s talk about one of those seats. It’s Pennsylvania. In that particular race, Mehmet Oz has been consistently trailing John Fetterman … How do you turn things around with three weeks left to go?

Ronna McDaniel, RNC Chair

We’ve seen Oz really build momentum. Of course, he came out of a very, very divisive primary. A lot of money was spent against him, and so as he’s been able to get on air and raise that money and really allow voters in Pennsylvania to see Fetterman’s record on crime, he’s been very pro-criminal, anti-victim, things that he did as Lieutenant Governor, things that he did on the Pennsylvania Parole Board, people have started waking up to Fetterman and how radical he is and recognizing that Oz is the better candidate for Pennsylvania. Oz is peaking right now. I think Oz is going to surpass Fetterman and win that race.

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

He still has not led Fetterman in any poll thus far in this race. And in addition to that, if you break down the polls, his likeability factor is really bad. He’s underwater by 19 points. How do you turn around someone’s likeability in just three weeks?

Ronna McDaniel, RNC Chair

I think Oz is doing a great job. He’s going into every aspect of Pennsylvania. He is going into Philadelphia, the city that’s about to hit the highest murder rate in record because of the lax policies of Fetterman and the government, and the governor in Pennsylvania. Oz is working so hard. He’s also willing to debate and get in front of the voters, which Fetterman is unwilling to do. I think everything is trending towards Oz and we feel really confident in this race.

On the Georgia Senate race

Ronna McDaniel, RNC Chair

You know, I think Herschel Walker has been very forthcoming with his mental health issues, overcoming them, his faith. He is somebody who goes into the state of Georgia and says “I want to be a voice in Washington for people who are dealing with inflation, with crime,” things that Warnock has turned his back on as he has voted in lockstep with Biden. I think 96% of the time he’s voted with Biden. And so Georgians right now are focusing on gosh, I’m paying more for groceries, I’m paying more for gas, I’m paying more for rent, crime is up, and Democrat policies are really failing me right now. And I think that’s why Walker and Warnock are definitely within the margin of error. Nobody is over 50 right now. This one actually could go to a runoff. But I think Herschel Walker’s done a great job articulating what he will do in the U.S. Senate and not getting distracted by all the smear campaigns the Democrats are throwing his way.

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

Well, Herschel has actually lied before. He’s lied about his record as it relates to being a law enforcement officer. He said that he worked in law enforcement. He said that he spent time at Quantico at the FBI training school. He said he worked with the Cobb County Police Department. Why should voters believe his denials now related to this latest allegation?

Ronna McDaniel, RNC Chair

Well, there’s been nobody who’s lied more to the voters of Georgia than Warnock.

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

But specifically with Herschel Walker, why should they believe him?

Ronna McDaniel, RNC Chair

But I’m talking about Raphael Warnock.

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

Why do you need to deflect? Why can’t you answer the question?

Ronna McDaniel, RNC Chair

He was part of the 100 million leaving Atlanta after the pandemic, businesses suffering, and he was part of Joe Biden and Stacey Abrams Saying that asking for voter ID deserved 100 million leaving their state, Warnock has lied on so many issues and he has been in lockstep with Biden in causing the suffering for people in Georgia. So he’s the senator. He owns it. Herschel Walker’s talked to the voters. He’s been very forthcoming.

Ronna McDaniel, RNC Chair

And the voters of Georgia will get to decide who’s best to serve them. And I know that that’s Herschel Walker.

On the abortion issue

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

The issue of abortion is one that Democrats say has energized them ahead of the midterms. Do you believe that it has energized Democratic voters? Are you concerned by that?

Ronna McDaniel, RNC Chair

You know, I as a woman find it very offensive that Democrats think voters only think about 1 issue, especially women. When we are seeing our kids suffering from historic deficits, we just saw today kids are at a 30-year low in the ACT, 9-year-olds are reading at a 30-year low and doing math at a 30-year low. We know that groceries are costing more. We know gas is costing more. We know that our border is open. We know drugs are coming across our border. We know crime is skyrocketing. So, we treat voters like the whole voter, and our candidates are treating voters like the whole voter.

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

What was your takeaway from that vote in Kansas over the summer?

Ronna McDaniel, RNC Chair

You know, I’m not in looking at every ballot initiative.

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

But you’re familiar with it? Right.

Ronna McDaniel, RNC Chair

The RNC doesn’t do ballot initiatives.

Jon Decker, Gray TV White House Correspondent

Even in the aftermath, you’re not familiar with the fact that a red state voted overwhelmingly to keep abortion permitted for women in the state.

Ronna McDaniel, RNC Chair

I’m not going to extrapolate what happens in one state that’s a red state that’s going to vote Republican this cycle as well, based on a ballot initiative.

Ronna McDaniel, RNC Chair

What I do know is what I’m seeing in the polls every single day. The voters are really ticked off about the economy caused by the Democrats because they overstimulated and they cut off our energy independence which has caused inflation for every single American right now. Those are the issues that are driving the voters right now in every poll that I’m seeing across the country.

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About Jon Decker:

Jon Decker is Gray Television’s White House correspondent and senior national editor. Decker is a former member of the board of the White House Correspondents’ Association. Decker serves on the faculty of Georgetown University and the UCLA School of Law where he is an adjunct professor. He is also a media fellow at the McCain Institute.

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