RNC co-chair and donor Tommy Hicks won't seek a third term

One of the Republican National Committee's top officials, co-chair and longtime GOP donor Tommy Hicks, won't seek another term with the RNC.

In the letter circulated to RNC members Monday and obtained by CBS News, Hicks said it's "now time for me to focus on my family," stating that he had made his decision to depart before the election. Tuesday's midterms yielded underwhelming outcomes for Republicans; CBS News and other outlets projected Democrats will retain control of the Senate, and Republicans will win fewer House seats than they had anticipated. 

On Monday afternoon, Hicks, a longtime friend of Donald Trump Jr., tweeted that he has decided to "take a step back from politics." 

"A few weeks ago, my family and I decided that I would take a step back from politics and return focus to my business," Hicks tweeted. "It's been the honor of a lifetime to serve the RNC and to meet so many great patriots across the nation who want to help make a difference. God Family Country!"

Hicks' impending departure from RNC leadership is one of the first high-profile developments inside the Republican Party after the midterm elections. Hicks comes from a wealthy Texas family of longtime GOP donors. 

Hicks, a private equity investor, was also a top Trump campaign fundraiser. 

RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel has given no indication that she intends to leave the RNC after Tuesday's midterm results. On election night on Fox News, McDaniel said it was a "good night for Republicans, and anybody saying otherwise is just wrong."

In:
• Republican National Committee
• Republican Party

Robert Costa

Robert Costa is CBS News' chief election and campaign correspondent based in Washington, D.C.

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