Ronna McDaniel says RNC would stay "neutral" in primaries if Trump ran in 2024

Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel told the AP on Wednesday that if former President Trump runs again in 2024, the GOP will remain "neutral" during the primary season.

Why it matters: McDaniel has been staunchly supportive of the former president, who endorsed her to keep running the RNC. She now must focus on regaining majorities in Congress, especially as the Republican party reckons with what the GOP looks like after Trump, even as he remains hugely popular with his base.

• The chairwoman herself has condemned the actions on Jan. 6 and said that the conspiracy group QAnon is "beyond fringe" and "dangerous."
• Members of Congress are largely split between those who supported objections to the Jan. 6 Electoral College certification and those who did not.
• McDaniel recognizes Trump holds a "huge, huge presence" in the party, AP notes.

Yes, but: McDaniel didn't distance herself entirely from Trump, stating, "The party has to stay neutral. I’m not telling anybody to run or not to run in 2024 ... That’s going to be up to those candidates going forward. What I really do want to see him do, though, is help us win back majorities in 2022."

When asked about reports that the former president may leave the GOP and start his own party, McDaniel insisted the move would "guarantee Democrat wins up and down the ticket" and that "[Trump] understands that."

• "If we’re fighting each other every day and attacking each other and brandishing party purism, we’re not going to accomplish what we need [to] win back the House and take back the Senate, and that’s my priority," McDaniel argued.