State Sen. Joe Gruters, a Sarasota Republican and close ally of President Donald Trump, was elected Friday as chairman of the Republican National Committee.

Gruters, who served as chairman of the Republican Party of Florida from 2019 to 2023, will help lead the national party through the 2026 midterm elections.

"Joe Gruters being elected RNC Chair is a big win for America,” state Republican Chairman Evan Power said in a prepared statement. “He has been a warrior for President Trump and the Republican cause from the beginning, and we know he will bring the same winning formula that turned Florida deep red to the rest of the country.”

But Jaelin O’Halloran, deputy rapid response director for the Democratic National Committee, criticized Gruters.

“Incoming RNC Chair Joe Gruters is just wh

See Full Page