« Previewing the Senate Stimulus Debate: Do They Have the Votes? | Home | Schumer to Offer Senate Version of $3 Billion Mass Transit Hike »
Steele Just Short Of A Win For RNC Chair; Anuzis Drops Out
Michael Steele is back in the lead for RNC Chairman, after Ken Blackwell dropped out and endorsed him -- but he's still just short of a full majority. On top of that, third-place finisher Saul Anuzis dropped out and endorsed nobody.
Here are the fifth-ballot numbers, compared to the fourth:
• Steele 79 (+19)
• Dawson 69 (+7)
• Anuzis 20 (-11)
As mentioned above, Anuzis dropped out after the vote, but didn't make an endorsement. "We've got two great people still running," said Anuzis, wishing the best of luck to the eventual winner.
Steele at this point should be regarded as the most likely to win, as he is only six votes short of the magic number 85.
Advertisement
Josh
Elana
Matt
Eric
Who's Michael Steele?
January 30, 2009 3:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
The guy who just got the requisite 85 votes to be chair of the RNC.
He's also the second biggest Uncle Tom in politics (Clarence Thomas is #1) and dresses like a pimp or a waiter!
January 30, 2009 4:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
he did some f'd up Rovian things like bussing homeless people to Democratic events in Maryland or some such nonsense
anyone remember exactly what his shenanigans were in that case?
January 30, 2009 4:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
No endorsement at this stage probably can be regarded as a knock on Steele. Steele will probably get enough new votes to cross the finishing line but I expect Dawson to gain more votes from Azunis (just not enough).
January 30, 2009 3:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Too bad. Steele is the most articulate, reasonable-sounding, talk-show friendly chairman they could have. It doesn't change the underlying fact that this is an extremist, incompetent, marginalized, anti-worker, racist party that is out of touch with reality, but he would be the best face they could forward, at least out of this bunch.
January 30, 2009 3:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Votes have been cast....lets see how this goes.
January 30, 2009 3:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
If Steele wins, the closer the vote the better.
January 30, 2009 3:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Depends on what you think want and what the result would lead to. On the one hand, I'd love to see Dawson win, just so the R's could sink even lower. On the other hand, Steele would be a sign of progress in some regards, but as Moose pointed out, probably the best candidate at least in terms of quickly rebranding the R party, even if the change is more cosmetic than real.
January 30, 2009 4:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
If Steele wins, I predict further disarray for the repugs as they won't just line up neatly behind his pronouncements, but he will make a TV-friendly face for the "new" GOP.
January 30, 2009 4:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm eagerly awaiting the day he's manhandled by a security person while trying to attend a GOP event.
Or by a Capitol Hill cop, a la Cynthia McKinney.
January 31, 2009 11:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
Here we go.
January 30, 2009 4:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Steele 91
Dawson 77
January 30, 2009 4:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
I wonder what tricks Michael the Magic Negro will perform for them.
January 30, 2009 4:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
ouch
(hehe)
January 30, 2009 4:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Who wants to bet the storyline won't be about a divided Republican party?
January 30, 2009 4:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, race trumps everything else in the news media's eyes. Best headline we could hope for:
"Obama Brings Unexpected Change to Washington: First Black RNC Chair."
January 30, 2009 4:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
So republicans play the race called all election and there most advent supporters are racist and then they pick a black guy to be their head. Funny.
January 30, 2009 4:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, Steele talks a big game. We'll see what happens.
January 30, 2009 4:09 PM | Reply | Permalink