Montclair Republicans Back Dhillon As National Chair Race Heats Up

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Harmeet Dhillon got a resounding endorsement to become chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC) at a special joint meeting of the Montclair Republican County Committee and the Montclair Republican Club this week.

Dhillon, an attorney in California and longtime Republican Party official, is one of several people vying to replace Ronna McDaniel at the helm of the RNC. Her law firm represented former President Donald Trump during his dealings with the House select committee probing the 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Learn about her campaign platform here.

Other RNC chair candidates include My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell.

“Harmeet Dhillon has distinguished herself as a leader, a fighter, and a visionary in the conservative movement, and she is exactly who we need leading the Republican National Committee for the next two years,” said Michael Byrne, chair of the Montclair Republican County Committee.

“While our most fundamental rights are under increasing attack in Essex County and across New Jersey, Harmeet has become one of the most effective leaders in our party defending the sanctity of the ballot, free speech and religious liberty,” Byrne added. “She gets results and she takes no prisoners.”

Byrne said Montclair Republicans had agreed to publicize their endorsement and submit an open letter to New Jersey's three RNC members, thanking National Committeeman Bill Palatucci for his endorsement of Harmeet and urging National Committeewoman Ginny Haines and NJGOP State Chair Bob Hugin to support Harmeet too.

“Grassroots activists, leading media personalities, and major donors are all demanding new energy and fresh leadership at the helm of the GOP,” Byrne said. “We need new tactics and new strategies to ensure our candidates are winning by margins so wide that their elections can't be stolen from them.”

The election for chair of the Republican National Committee will be held in California on Friday, Jan. 27.

• See related: Op-Ed: An Election Day Audit in Every County … Except Essex?

ELECTIONS, STUDENT LAW

According to Byrne, Montclair Republicans were joined by party peers from other neighboring towns and counties at this week’s meeting, at which they also discussed two of the “most important issues” facing New Jersey residents: “election integrity” and a new law that Byrne claimed amounts to “student brainwashing.”

According to its supporters, the law – signed by Gov. Phil Murphy earlier this month – is an attempt to ensure that the state’s public school students have “information literacy” when it comes to social media, websites, texts and other potential sources of news. Each school district in New Jersey will have to incorporate instruction on information literacy in an “appropriate place” in the curriculum of students in grades K-12.

Another New Jersey Republican – state Sen. Michael Testa (District 1) – criticized Murphy for mentioning the new law in a statement he issued on the anniversary of the Jan. 6 rioting that took place at the Capitol Building last year.

Testa – a primary sponsor of S-588 – suggested that the comment may have ignited a wave of misleading claims about the bipartisan law, which he said is an overall win for New Jersey residents. Read More: NJ Law Will Teach Students How To Be Responsible News Consumers

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