WASHINGTON — Todd Ricketts, a major financial backer of President Donald Trump and a co-owner of the Chicago Cubs baseball team, has been picked to succeed embattled casino magnate Steve Wynn as finance chairman of the Republican National Committee, several GOP sources told NBC News.
“Todd is expected to be named finance chair as soon as today and if he is offered the job he will take it and he would be excited to take on the mission on being the finance chair,” said a source close to Ricketts and who has been in direct contact with the RNC.
Wynn, who is facing multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, resigned from the position over the weekend. Politico first reported the news that Ricketts would be named in his place.
“He’d be a great pick,” Republican donor Dan Eberhart told NBC News. “The Ricketts are tireless advocates for conservative causes and the Republican Party behind the scenes. Todd would inject serious energy into the RNC.”
Ricketts previously had been tapped by Trump to serve as deputy secretary of the Commerce Department but withdrew from consideration because of the difficulty he would have had in disentangling himself from his business interests.
During the 2016 campaign, Ricketts first supported Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and then opposed Trump’s nomination. But once Trump became the GOP standard-bearer, Ricketts helped raise money for outside groups supporting him.