Days after Donald Trump made his suggestion for a new lineup of leaders at the Republican National Committee, the former president has been criticized in the media and even by some fellow Republicans for moving too quickly and putting too personal a stamp on the party.
Last week, the GOP’s presidential front-runner publicly called for the election of longtime supporter and North Carolina's RNC State Party Chair Michael Whatley as the RNC chair. Incumbent Ronna McDaniel, the longest-serving chair in RNC history, is expected to step down shortly after the South Carolina primary Feb. 24.
Since party rules require a chair and co-chair of different sexes, Trump also suggested daughter-in-law Lara Trump as the new co-chair. He also signaled his support of Chris LaCivita, a longtime campaign operative and Trump loyalist, as the operating head of the RNC.
The new plan was reportedly sculpted by Trump’s inside circle, notably top campaign adviser Susie Wiles. But it is by no means an original creation. In fact, many of the elements in the Trump shake-up are identical to those whom Republicans of all stripes deeply admire: Ronald Reagan.
During the period after Reagan essentially wrapped up the GOP presidential nomination on May 26, 1980 (when lone remaining rival George H.W. Bush dropped out) and July 14, when the national convention open, Reagan’s campaign staff argued over how to oversee the RNC.
"Reagan opted for a course favored by [top campaign adviser Ed] Meese," wrote Lou Cannon in his much-praised biography Reagan, "which was to keep [Bill] Brock as chairman, while installing his own man as chief operational officer at the Republican National Committee.
"[New Hampshire Reagan leader Jerry] Carmen, who had written a report highly critical of Brock's performance and loyalty, wanted the job, but even [Reagan Campaign chair and Nevada Sen. Paul] Laxalt realized this wouldn't work. So the Reagan man at the committee turned out to be….Drew Lewis, who had held the line for [Gerald] Ford in Pennsylvania during the 1976 campaign but was now considered a Reagan loyalist.
"The compromise gave Reagan the best of both worlds, avoiding a shake-up that would have been seen as a swing to the right, and putting one of the few seasoned politicians in the Reagan camp in the strategic political post at the National Committee."
Aside from actually replacing the national chair, the Reagan plan for placing a loyalist as chief operational officer at the RNC is Trump’s plan today.
As for placing a family member at the RNC, Reagan waited until 1986 before naming daughter Maureen Reagan as co-chair — the same position to which Trump wants daughter-in-law Lara to have.
Trump’s plan for the RNC is certainly generating some controversy. But it is by no means unique or unusual.