Former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele holds a gavel after he was elected chairman of the Republican National Committee on Friday, Jan. 30, 2009 in Washington. AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais
On a day where momentum shifted and hopes were raised and dashed, Michael Steele was elected chairman of the Republican National Committee.
The former lieutenant governor of Maryland and the party's Senate nominee in 2006, Steele is the first African-American to lead the Republican Party. Democrats broke the party chair color barrier in 1989 with the election of Ron Brown.
Steele defeated a field that included South Carolina GOP Chairman Katon Dawson, Michigan party Chairman Saul Anuzis, former Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell, and Mike Duncan, who had been the RNC chairman since 2007, when he was named by President Bush.
Steele defeated Dawson on the sixth ballot by a vote of 91 to 77. Eighty-five votes were needed to win.
In a rousing speech after the balloting was over, Steele promised to make the party's case in all parts of the country, especially in areas where the GOP has not won in recent years -- the Northeast and the West Coast.
Having lost the White House in 2008 after eight years of control, as well as both houses of Congress in 2006, the party is trying to find its way. In Steele, they have a charismatic figure who by his many appearances on the Fox News Channel is a familiar face to many Americans.
After having served in county and state Republican politics, Steele was elected lieutenant governor of Maryland in 2002 on the ticket headed by Bob Ehrlich -- the first Republican to win the governorship in the state in 36 years.
4:06 PM ET | 01-30-2009 | permalink
Results of the fifth ballot in the contest for Republican National Committee chairman:
Michael Steele -- 79 (up 19)Katon Dawson -- 69 (up 7)Saul Anuzis -- 20 (down 11)
Anuzis has withdrawn. And Steele is now only six votes away from the magic number of 85.
3:36 PM ET | 01-30-2009 | permalink
The first part of his speech was expected: Ken Blackwell, the former Ohio secretary of state mired in fourth place in his bid to be the next chairman of the Republican National Committee, withdrew his name from consideration.
"We must be a party that makes good the promise of Lincoln. We must unleash a new birth of freedom."
The second part was not expected. Blackwell endorsed the candidacy of Michael Steele.
Fifth ballot coming up. If all 15 Blackwell votes go to Steele, the former Maryland lieutenant governor will have 75 votes, 10 short of victory. Then everyone will be watching what happens with the 31 votes of Saul Anuzis, the Michigan GOP chair, if it is perceived that the race has come down to a two-way contest between Steele and South Carolina Republican Chair Katon Dawson.
This is probably the second-best day of my life.
3:11 PM ET | 01-30-2009 | permalink
Results of the fourth ballot in the contest for Republican National Committee chairman:
Katon Dawson -- 62 (up 28 from the third ballot)Michael Steele -- 60 (up 9)Saul Anuzis -- 31 (up 7)Ken Blackwell -- 15 (no change)
Dawson apparently has been the big beneficiary of Chairman Mike Duncan's withdrawal from the race. He is now 23 votes away from the magic number of 85 needed to win. Lots of speculation here over what Blackwell will do.
It's been a long day. Can someone please check my first RNC post and see who I predicted would win?
2:49 PM ET | 01-30-2009 | permalink
As members of the Republican National Committee were preparing to vote on the fourth ballot, Mike Duncan -- the current chair -- came to the platform and announced he was withdrawing from the race.
"The winds of change are blowing at the RNC. I understand what is going on." And then he said he was taking his name out of consideration for another term.
During the speech, and at its conclusion, he was met with a standing ovation.
Duncan, named to head the RNC by President Bush in 2007, did not endorse a successor.
2:23 PM ET | 01-30-2009 | permalink
Results of the third ballot in the contest for Republican National Committee chairman:
Michael Steele -- 51 (up 3 from the second ballot)Mike Duncan -- 44 (down 4)Katon Dawson -- 34 (up 5)Saul Anuzis -- 24 (no change)Ken Blackwell -- 15 (down 4)
Steele just walked by and gave a thumbs up. Asked what he needs to do to get to the magic number of 85, he said, "That's the big question."
Do we ask probing questions here or what??
1:49 PM ET | 01-30-2009 | permalink
Results of the second ballot in the contest for Republican National Committee chairman:
Mike Duncan -- 48 (down 4 from first ballot)Michael Steele -- 48 (up 2)Katon Dawson -- 29 (up 1)Saul Anuzis -- 24 (up 2)Ken Blackwell -- 19 (down 1)
A gasp in the audience greeted the news that Steele had drawn even with Duncan. I think people are finally realizing that the longer this goes on, the less likelihood there will be ScuttleButton puzzle today. Maybe that explains the gasp.
A majority of RNC members -- 85 -- is needed to win.
1:05 PM ET | 01-30-2009 | permalink
Results of the first ballot in the contest for Republican National Committee chairman:
Mike Duncan -- 52Michael Steele -- 46Katon Dawson -- 28Saul Anuzis -- 22Ken Blackwell -- 20
The total for Duncan, the reigning GOP chair, was less than anticipated. They just announced box lunches are about to be sent in. Fried chicken, and deal-making, seem to be the order of the day.
P.S. The Capital Hilton has alerted the GOP that people need to be out of here by 5 p.m. so they can set up for a wedding. That might quicken things up. Or, in the words of one Anuzis backer, "Heck, we'll just go over to Burger King and continue."
12:10 PM ET | 01-30-2009 | permalink
The voting has begun for chairman of the Republican National Committee.
Five candidates were placed in nomination.
Gary Jones, the GOP state chair from Oklahoma, led off the speeches by nominating Ken Blackwell, the former Ohio secretary of state. He said Blackwell has stood up for conservative values, has been a strong leader and is someone who can broaden the base and "bring the base home."
Joyce Lyons Terhes, GOP national committeewoman from Maryland, nominated Michael Steele, the former lieutenant governor of Maryland. She called him a "dynamic new leader" with quality values, someone who doubled fundraising when he headed up the Maryland state party. Under Steele's leadership, Maryland elected its first Republican governor (Bob Ehrlich) in 40 years.
Matt Strawn, the newly elected GOP state chair from Iowa, nominated Mike Duncan, the current RNC chair. He said Duncan is ready to continue his fight on behalf of conservative values and "shared beliefs."
Glenn McCall, the GOP national committeeman from South Carolina, nominated his state party's chair, Katon Dawson. McCall said Dawson has "turned our party around with a lot of hard work." He has "inspired voters" and rebuilt the party's grass roots. "We're not like Democrats," McCall said. "We are about experience and accomplishments." Under Dawson's stewardship of the party, Republicans have elected two governors and majorities in both houses of the state Legislature (first time since Reconstruction).
Keith Butler, the GOP national committeeman from Michigan, nominated his state party's chair, Saul Anuzis. Butler called Anuzis a "consistent, outspoken and courageous conservative," the "ultimate techno-man who understands new techniques and new tactics." Anuzis is "willing to go anywhere to take our message to the people -- to the barrios, to the ghettos, everywhere."
The voting is taking place by secret ballot. This could take a while. If I never see you again, if I'm destined to spend the rest of my life here, please know that I really intended to post a new ScuttleButton puzzle today. Honest.
11:52 AM ET | 01-30-2009 | permalink
Sitting in the ballroom, waiting for the 168 members of the Republican National Committee to begin the process of electing their party chairman. The tension here is so thick, and the cliches are so prevalent, that you can cut them with a knife.
Voting begins at 10:30 a.m. Five candidates are in the running: Mike Duncan, who is seeking a second term, and four challengers: Michael Steele, the former lieutenant governor of Maryland who was his party's Senate nominee in 2006; Kenneth Blackwell, the former secretary of state of Ohio and 2006 gubernatorial candidate who, like Steele, is African-American; Katon Dawson, the GOP chair of South Carolina; and Saul Anuzis, who heads up the state party in Michigan.. Another candidate, Chip Saltsman -- who headed up Mike Huckabee's presidential bid last year and who achieved his share of notoriety for having sent out a CD to RNC members that included the parody song "Barack the Magic Negro" -- withdrew from the contest last night.
Duncan is thought to be going into the first ballot with the most votes. But having headed the GOP during the disastrous 2008 cycle, there is strong sentiment that the party should look elsewhere for new leadership.
A quick glance at the folks here shows strong sentiment -- or at least lapel stickers -- for all the candidates except Blackwell. But as I pointed out in my earlier post, he has an impressive roster of conservative backers. The question is, how many of them can vote today?
There is no provision for the low man on the totem pole to withdraw from the race at the end of each round. So there's no telling how long the balloting will go. But your faithful companion will be here with all the heart-racing, pulse-pounding details.
10:34 AM ET | 01-30-2009 | permalink
NPR's Ken Rudin and Ron Elving delve into the week's political news with analysis and sophisticated humor. 
