GOP Chairman Michael Steele Says Independents Crucial for 'Sweet' Night

After being criticized for everything from the design of the RNC's new Web site to his promise to give the GOP a "hip hop" makeover, Republican Chairman Michael Steele had a very good night Tuesday, and held a press conference in Washington Wednesday morning to talk about it.

The statewide elections in New Jersey and Virginia were the first high-profile test of Steele's leadership of the national party. Victories in both states came as a validation of Steele's significant fundraising abilities, as well as his sometimes unorthodox leadership.

He credited his party's fundraising and grassroots activism for helping candidates in the off-year elections and called independent voters crucial to their success. In 2008, then-candidate Barack Obama and John McCain split independents in New Jersey and Virginia evenly, but last night Republicans won independents two-to-one, Steele said.

Unlike pundits who called victories for GOP gubernatorial candidates Chris Christie in New Jersey and Bob McDonnell in Virginia a rejection of the Obama administration, Steele said, "I don't think it's so much a referendum on the president. It certainly is, I think, a checkpoint on the policies."

In addition to the victories, Steele was asked about the Republican loss in New York's 23rd congressional district. He said that a primary process would have avoided the chaos that ensued between Dede Scozzafava, the Republican nominee, and the conservative, Doug Hoffman, but predicted a Republican will win the seat in 2010. Scozzafava, a pro-choice, liberal assemblywoman, dropped out on Saturday and endorsed Democrat Bill Owens, who was elected.

Steele called the conflict between conservatives and moderates in the district "phony" and rejected conservatives' assertion that losing the seat was the best thing for the party in the long run. "I don't see a victory in losing seats," Steele said. "I'm not in the business of division and subtraction. I'm in the business of multiplication and addition. I want more Republicans going to Congress."

In the end, he said, "My view is winning is a lot sweeter. And if you don't think last night was sweet, you need to go see a doctor."