DeSantis backs Harmeet Dhillon in RNC race

Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis endorsed former Trump campaign attorney Harmeet Dhillon in her challenge to Ronna McDaniel for Republican National Committee chair.

"I think we need a change. I think we need to get some new blood in the RNC," DeSantis told Charlie Kirk on Real America's Voice in an interview aired Thursday, one day before the vote for RNC speaker.

"I like what Harmeet Dhillon has said about getting the RNC out of D.C. Why would you want to have your headquarters in the most Democrat city in America? It’s more Democrat than San Francisco is," DeSantis said. 

Dhillon has proposed decentralizing the RNC headquarters by moving some operations out of Washington, D.C.

"I think it's going to be very difficult to energize people to want to give money, to want to volunteer their time with the RNC if they don't see a change in direction," DeSantis said.

McDaniel has been criticized for less than impressive Republican election performances since she took over the role as chair in 2017.

Dhillon has received dozens of high-profile endorsements from donors, conservative coalitions and longtime RNC members, but DeSantis is her most prominent endorsement yet.