Trump chooses Michigan GOP chairwoman to lead RNC

President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Michigan Republican Party Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel to lead the party, he announced Wednesday. Current RNC chief Reince Priebus will follow Trump into the White House as his chief of staff, leaving McDaniel to take the reins come January.

In a statement, Trump called McDaniel a "highly effective leader" who "has been extremely loyal to our movement." McDaniel and Bob Paduchik, Trump's campaign leader in Ohio and his nominee for RNC co-chair, are expected to be formally named to their positions next month.

McDaniel has led the Michigan Republican Party since 2015. She is the niece of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who was in the running to be Trump's secretary of state nominee before losing out to ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson earlier this week.

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