Republican National Committee (RNC) chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel predicted on Thursday that President Trump Donald John TrumpFederal prosecutor speaks out, says Barr 'has brought shame' on Justice Dept. Former Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick MORE would win in a potential general election match-up against Pete Buttigieg Pete ButtigiegBillionaire who donated to Trump in 2016 donates to Biden The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - GOP closes ranks to fill SCOTUS vacancy by November Buttigieg stands in as Pence for Harris's debate practice MORE, dismissing the South Bend, Ind., mayor as a progressive Democrat lacking in experience.

McDaniel acknowledged while speaking with reporters that Buttigieg’s political stock is on the rise after stumbles by other top-tier Democratic presidential hopefuls like former Vice President Joe Biden Joe BidenFormer Pence aide: White House staffers discussed Trump refusing to leave office Progressive group buys domain name of Trump's No. 1 Supreme Court pick Bloomberg rolls out M ad buy to boost Biden in Florida MORE. However, she maintained that Trump would win “big” if Buttigieg emerges as the eventual Democratic nominee, pointing to his past embrace of progressive policy prescriptions.

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“Pete is a progressive liberal in moderate clothing,” McDaniel said at a breakfast with members of the media hosted by the Christian Science Monitor. “He is somebody who raised his hand to give health care to illegal immigrants. He is somebody who has said he wants to stack the Supreme Court up to 15 judges.”

“This is not somebody who is a moderate,” she continued. “Just because he’s from South Bend, Ind., doesn’t make him that.”

Buttigieg, a 37-year-old newcomer in the realm of national politics, has emerged as a leading candidate for his party’s 2020 presidential nomination since entering the race in January as a relatively unknown figure outside Democratic circles.

In recent weeks, he has surged in public polls in early primary and caucus states like Iowa, even taking first place in the Hawkeye State's landmark Des Moines Register–CNN–Mediacom survey last week. At the same time, he has outperformed many of his more well-known rivals in fundraising, including Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris Kamala HarrisTexas Democratic official urges Biden to visit state: 'I thought he had his own plane' The Hill's Campaign Report: Biden on Trump: 'He'll leave' l GOP laywers brush off Trump's election remarks l Obama's endorsements A game theorist's advice to President Trump on filling the Supreme Court seat MORE (D-Calif.).

At the end of the third fundraising quarter, Buttigieg reported having roughly $23.4 million in cash on hand, a total surpassed only by two other candidates: Sens. Bernie Sanders Bernie SandersSirota reacts to report of harassment, doxing by Harris supporters Republicans not immune to the malady that hobbled Democrats The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Republicans lawmakers rebuke Trump on election MORE (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren Elizabeth WarrenOvernight Defense: Appeals court revives House lawsuit against military funding for border wall | Dems push for limits on transferring military gear to police | Lawmakers ask for IG probe into Pentagon's use of COVID-19 funds On The Money: Half of states deplete funds for Trump's 0 unemployment expansion | EU appealing ruling in Apple tax case | House Democrats include more aid for airlines in coronavirus package Warren, Khanna request IG investigation into Pentagon's use of coronavirus funds MORE (D-Mass.).

While the Midwest mayor has drawn more support in states like Iowa and New Hampshire, he has struggled to gain the same level of momentum in bigger states with more-diverse electorates, like South Carolina.

A Quinnipiac University survey released earlier this week showed him polling in fourth place behind Biden, Warren and Sanders in South Carolina. That same poll showed him registering no support among black voters, who make up more than half of the state’s Democratic electorate.

Buttigieg has for months sought to cast himself as a younger alternative to Biden in a bid to win over moderate voters in the presidential race. But McDaniel said that his willingness to stake out liberal positions on issues like immigration and the judiciary early on in his campaign undermined his credentials as a moderate.

What’s more, she argued, Buttigieg’s lack of experience would cause him to falter in a possible matchup against Trump in 2020.

“I think the president wins against Pete Buttigieg,” she said. “I think he wins big. He doesn’t have any foreign policy experience, he has not been successful ... he hasn’t, as an executive, had the task of sending people to war.”

“I just don’t think he’s going to be a strong candidate,” she added. “But we’ll see.”