Takeaways: How Lara Trump is reshaping the Republican Party

Lara Trump is wasting no time rebranding the typically staid Republican National Committee in the image of her father-in-law, showcasing her own version of his pugilistic politics and brash management style.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Lara Trump spoke about her famous family, the upcoming election and her vision for the party going forward.

Here are four takeaways about the new RNC co-chair’s first few months on the job.

MERGING WITH THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN

When Lara Trump and Chairman Michael Whatley took the reins in March, they promised to enact sweeping changes. And they did: They merged the GOP and the Trump campaign into a single operation.

Brian Hughes, a spokesman for the Trump campaign, told the AP the strategy was essential to ensuring Republican victories in November.

“By joining the two organizations together,” he said, “we are all rolling in the same direction to get President Trump elected, as well as to increase the majority of the House and the Senate.”

Lara Trump said party and campaign staff are “all part of organizing the ground game, working on day-to-day operations.”

Critics say such a laser focus on the presidential election could mean less time, money and resources spent on state and local races. That could hurt the party in the long term.

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