Ronna McDaniel responds to Cawthorn diatribe: 'I don't know what Dark MAGA is'

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Election integrity 'still in Republican Party concerns': Ronna McDaniel

RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel weighs in on Pennsylvania's highly contested Senate race, election integrity issues and Trump's endorsement in Georgia's gubernatorial primary race and other key races.

Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel responded to a recent tirade from Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C., after the congressman lost his GOP primary last week to State Sen. Chuck Edwards.

Cawthorn had called for Republicans to stop with "genteel politics," the "rise of the new right" and for "Dark MAGA to truly take command." 

When asked what that meant on "Fox News Sunday," McDaniel had no idea.

"I don’t know what ‘Dark MAGA’ is. It sounds like something from Star Wars," McDaniel quipped.

MADISON CAWTHORN SAYS IT'S TIME FOR ‘DARK MAGA,’ ‘NEW RIGHT’ TO TAKE OVER AFTER SCANDAL-PROPELLED PRIMARY LOSS

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On a more serious note, McDaniel commended Cawthorn for conceding, stressing the importance of Republicans keeping that seat.

"We need to focus on the Democrats, and I would say this to every Republican: They are the ones in control, they are the ones destroying our country, and Republicans who are fighting each other constantly, that is not helping us defeat Democrats in November. And that needs to be the focus," McDaniel said.

Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C., speaks before former President Trump takes the stage at a rally April 9, 2022, in Selma, N.C.  (AP Photo/Chris Seward, File)

This was consistent with what she said earlier in the interview when discussing the GOP primary race for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania. 

GOP MEMBERS REVEAL THOUGHTS ON MADISON CAWTHORN'S PRIMARY LOSS: ‘HE DID IT TO HIMSELF’ 

Former President Trump claims that his pick, Dr. Mehmet Oz, could lose unfairly due to mail-in voting. McDaniel agreed that no-excuse absentee voting should not be allowed and that ballots not bearing dates should not be counted. At the same time, however, she said the RNC – and Trump – would support whoever comes away with the nomination.

Ronna McDaniel, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, speaks during the Republican Jewish Coalition Annual Leadership Meeting in Las Vegas, Nov. 6, 2021.  (Bridget Bennett/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"I think every Republican’s going to be supporting the Republican nominee in these states, including President Trump," McDaniel said. "We do not want to see Fetterman, a Democrat socialist, the nominee on the Pennsylvania ticket, to be the senator."

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The RNC chairwoman noted that primaries are "challenging," but "then we come together afterwards and focus on who we really need to defeat and that’s the Democrat."