As if there hasn’t been enough discord in the Republican party this year, if Donald Trump loses, a conservative outsider is preparing to challenge the chairman of the Republican National Committee for his position.
Reince Priebus, who caught a boatload of well-deserved grief in September for tweeting Hillary Clinton didn’t smile enough during the National Security Forum, is in his second term as chair of the RNC. Ned Ryun, a career GOP operative, confirmed he plans to challenge Priebus for his spot, if Trump loses and Priebus seeks re-election.
“After the election, if Trump loses and Priebus runs, I will absolutely run for chairman,” said Ryun, who owns a political data and technology firm called Voter Gravity and runs a nonprofit outfit called American Majority that has at times been a thorn in the side of the GOP establishment.”
If Trump loses, Priebus will be the first RNC chair to oversee the loss of two elections. But, even if that were to happen, and let’s be clear, that would be a good thing, he has already the support of 32 percent of the Republican National Committee—60 out of 168 members—should he decide to run again. Ryun knows he is a long shot.
“I am fully aware that the RNC chairman’s race is an insider's game. But I would hope that the committee members would be willing to listen to an outsider’s appeal and vision,” Ryun said, declining to answer whether he would run if Priebus did not seek reelection.
Of course, the key to Priebus’s success if he is challenged for his position after the election will be whether or not he smiles enough.