• Gruters is one of three Florida Republicans who will vote on the RNC chair race.
• Gruters endorsed McDaniel earlier this month with Kathy King.
• She did not return a call and text message seeking comment.

A Trump ally who has served under DeSantis, Gruters is one of three Florida Republicans who will vote on the RNC chair race in January along with the RNC’s committeeman and committeewoman from Florida. Gruters endorsed McDaniel earlier this month with Kathy King, the RNC committeewoman from Florida. She did not return a call and text message seeking comment.

The party’s national committeeman in Florida, Peter Feaman, wouldn’t say whom he supported for party chair, but he said McDaniel faces a tough re-election.

“Harmeet has a lot of support from grassroots members. It’s amazing,” Feaman said.

The two candidates vying to succeed Gruters as chair of the Republican Party of Florida, Leon County Chair Evan Power and Sarasota County Chair Christian Ziegler, both said they support Dhillon.

Ziegler said by text message that “changes must be discussed … and changes made.”

Power was more critical of Gruters.

“I don’t know where Gruters is getting his political advice from, but it’s bad.

The grassroots here doesn’t want Ronna,” Power said in a phone interview.

“We’ve had three losses nationwide, and that’s enough for a lot of people.”

Some Republicans have speculated the chair races at both the state and national levels also reflect the party divisions between Trump and DeSantis, but informed Republican insiders say it hasn’t manifested, at least not yet.

Gruters said he endorsed McDaniel because she did a good job and he did it without the input or urging of either Trump or Trump’s adviser, Susie Wiles, who some Republicans speculated was involved.

“No. She had nothing to do with it,” Gruters said. “This is about who is best to be RNC chair, and that’s Ronna.”

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