Former Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN), who had been rumored to be a possible candidate for chairman of the Republican National Committee, told the Daily Caller that he will not run if current (and embattled) Chairman Michael Steele seeks re-election: “If he’s in, then I’m out.”
“Michael Steele is a friend. He has been for many years. I’m not going to run against the chairman.”
But he refused to rule out running in the case Steele doesn’t.
“I’m not in a position to speculate what-if-he-doesn’t,” Coleman said. “At that point, it becomes speculation.”
Several other candidates have already entered the RNC race or appear to be on the verge of doing so — including Gentry Collins, the former Republican National Committe political director; former George W. Bush Transportation Department official Maria Cino; former Bush administration Ambassador to Luxembourg Ann Wagner; and former Michigan Republican Party chair Saul Anuzis.
Coleman very narrowly lost re-election to Democrat Al Franken in 2008, in a recounted result that Coleman litigated against until June 2009. Since then, he has been active with his conservative group American Action Forum.
If Coleman were to run for RNC chair, what would happen if the final ballot was really close?
Eric Kleefeld
Eric Kleefeld joined TPM as an intern for the final months of the 2006 midterm elections, and then kept showing up for work. His other interests include guitars, old comic books and the politics of various English-speaking countries.
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