Joe Gruters to face no opposition in RNC Chair election

Joe Gruters at Red Florida Dinner. Image by Michael Hopins via Republican Party of Florida.

Joe Gruters will face no opposition when he runs for Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair next month.

The Florida Republican National Committeeman, who enjoys an endorsement from President Donald Trump, was the only candidate to file for the post. The job will be up for election at a Summer Meeting of the RNC in Atlanta, when current RNC Chair Michael Whatley will step down to run for U.S. Senate in North Carolina.

An election will take place on Aug. 22.

“I’ve been ready for this,” Gruters told Florida Politics in an interview this weekend. “I’ve been wanting to do this forever.”

Gruters now serves as RNC Treasurer but will step down from that role to lead the national party. Jennifer Rich, New York’s Republican National Committee member, was the only candidate who filed to succeed Gruters in the Treasurer position. Rich also had Trump’s endorsement for her candidacy for that job, as Gruters did when he won the post in January.

That Gruters secured the post isn’t a surprise. The party in charge of the White House typically elects a Chair favored by the sitting President.

But Tuesday’s deadline means Gruters will not face even token opposition, eliminating the need to campaign for the votes of members of the RNC.

Republicans in each state of the union elect three members of the RNC, a National Committeeman, National Committeewoman and State Chair. Florida will send Gruters, National Committeewoman Kathleen King and state GOP Chair Evan Power. All were expected to support Gruters regardless.

“Florida has led the way for the conservative movement, and Joe is one more example of Florida going to the capital to lead our nation,” Power previously told Florida Politics. “I look forward to voting for him to become the next RNC Chair.”

Gruters has already been traveling the nation, including meeting with RNC Fundraising Chair JD Vance, Trump’s Vice President, and with donors across the country.

The Sarasota Republican is expected to abandon a race for Florida Chief Financial Officer once elected.