Anthony Sabatini wants the Florida GOP to take a stand against Ronna McDaniel’s re-election

Anthony Sabatini’s first action as a county Republican Executive Committee chair appears to be waging war with the national party.

The newly elected Lake County Republican Party chair petitioned Republican Party of Florida Chair Joe Gruters demanding a special meeting to decry Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel.

The move comes as Gruters, a McDaniel ally, runs for Treasurer of the RNC.

“Today I sent a letter with 30 signees to the Chairman of the Florida GOP calling for a special meeting of the RPOF in order to vote on whether Ronna McDaniel should be terminated as RNC Chair,” Sabatini tweeted. “As goes Florida, so goes the Nation. Meeting will be held two weeks before the RNC vote.”

The race for RNC chair, between McDaniel and Harmeet Dhillon, has turned decidedly negative. McDaniel seeks a fourth consecutive term leading the national party.

Activist groups like Turning Point USA have criticized McDaniel over GOP underperformance in the Midterms, where Republicans won a narrow House majority but netted a loss in the Senate. But financial forces have praised McDaniel’s leadership.

Florida was among the places where Republicans over-performed in November, and Gruters said McDaniel deserves some of the credit for that.

“There’s no question Ronna has helped Florida a lot over the past four years,” Gruters said. “Does someone deserve to be rewarded for that or put down for that?”

Gruters said he will call a meeting, likely in Sarasota, soon.

The 30 signatures on Sabatini’s petition show a significant portion of the state party membership dislikes McDaniel. Signatorees include U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, Collier County State Committeeman Alfie Oakes and former Congressional candidate Joe Budd. It also notably includes Leon County Republican Party Chair Evan Power, one of the candidates seeking to succeed Gruters as RPOF state chair.

But a vote on any resolution calling for McDaniel’s termination will require a majority of state Republican Executive Committee members in attendance at a hastily called meeting. Almost 260 individuals are eligible to vote, including state chairs, committeemen and committeewomen for all 67 counties, every Republican representing Florida in Congress or holding statewide office, and contingents appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and by Florida Senate and House leadership.

That means a resolution would require 130 votes if all eligible voters were part of a quorum.