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Executive Behind Lavish Conference Leaves Agency
Warren And Brown Neck And Neck In New Poll
Reince Priebus Chosen by Republicans to Unite Party as Steele Departs
Reince Priebus, the head of Wisconsin Republicans but little known outside of internal GOP circles, was elected Friday as the new chairman of the Republican National Committee, succeeding the controversial Michael Steele who dropped out of the race as his support faded.
Priebus pleaded for unity after a hard-fought campaign during which he challenged Steele, the man he once served at the RNC. "We must come together for our common interests," he said after finally going over the top in the election. "It isn't going to be easy or glamorous," he said of the internal party work, but "we must lead the way."
Worried about debt and divided over their future political leadership, Republican committee members labored through seven ballots in the contest to pick a chairman who can lead the party into the critical 2012 election cycle. Steele, conceding after the fourth ballot, threw his support to Maria Cino, a former Bush administration official. But it was Priebus who surged, reaching 97 votes on the last round of voting -- 12 beyond the majority he needed from the 168 committee members eligible to cast ballots.
The embattled incumbent, Steele, was in trouble in his bid for another two years at the helm from the outset of balloting. His gracious concession Friday was greeted with warm, appreciative applause. He said he would "step aside because I believe the party is ready for something different." And now, he said, "I exit stage right."
Steele had presided over electoral victories, including the GOP takeover of the U.S. House in the midterms, but he has also alarmed some Republicans with his management style, a series of verbal gaffes and an RNC debt said by the Washington Post to stand at $20 million.
In addition to Priebus and Cino, the chairmanship was sought by former Michigan Republican Chairman Saul Anuzis, who finished second on the last ballot, and Ann Wagner, the former ambassador to Luxembourg. Cino had the backing of House Speaker John Boehner, while Priebus was supported by former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour.
Steele once counted Priebus as an ally on the RNC, the party's organizing and fund-raising arm. The 38-year-old lawyer resigned as the national party's general counsel early last month and then jumped into the race against his old boss. During his campaign, Priebus promised "less drama, more hard work" -- which sounded like a reference to Steele's stormy tenure. On Friday, he said he would move quickly to "restructure" the RNC's struggling financial operation.
"We have to get on track, and together we can defeat Barack Obama in 2012," Priebus said in a brief acceptance speech.
Steele, who served as Maryland's lieutenant governor for four years ending in 2007, didn't go quietly. "I'm a fighter and I am a little bit obstinate, but I am because I believed in the fight," he told the committee members. He had earlier said he would stay in the contest until the final ballot was counted at the meeting in a conference center in suburban Prince Georges County, just south of Washington.
The Post reported Friday that the RNC under Steele has seen a big drop-off in contributions from major donors -- more than 600 people who gave $10,000 or more during the last two election cycles chose not to write checks during the midterm campaign.
The RNC chairman is more than a front man for the national party. He also serves as a fundraiser, troubleshooter and candidate recruiter -- critical roles heading into a campaign that will nominate a presidential candidate, seek to defend a new majority in the U.S. House and try to capture control of the Senate.
Folo Tom Diemer on Twitter http://twitter.com/tomdiemer
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Dear Mr. Priebus. Please have a meeting with the RNC, get all of them together in a big room and READ OUR CONSTITUTION, LINE BY LINE, HAVE THEM TAKE NOTES, THERE WILL BE A TEST LATER!!!!
Explain to them - Maine's Gov. Paul LePage; it's very unwise when you are leading a state to alienate a whole group of "registered voters" by saying in a speech that the NAACP can just "Kiss My Butt". Please check your brain before engaging your mouth!!
People are listening.
Alabama's Gov. Bentley; you are a state leader now, not a Baptist preacher anymore. You have dismissed a whole big group of folk when you said out loud for everybody to hear that "if you haven't received the Lord as your savior "you are not my brother or sister." Please point out to this Good Ole Boy that there a distinct division of Church and State in the whole USA including Alabama! (Just checked all those folks off - you ain't saved, you ain't christian, you don't count, won't be working for you!)
Thank you very much Mr. Priebus.
They shouldnt do that cause the ones that arent by-partisan(TP/KKK and GOP supporters) will get outed by then.
January 17 2011 at 2:50 PM Report abuse Permalink -1 rate up rate down Replyi don't like mr. steele but he was in charge when the gop was swept back into the house by a large margin. i just wonder what a brother has to do to keep his job? if he had been white and such a victory was won. they would be trying to convince him to run for president. mr. steele thought he could make it on merit. takes more than that for a brother.
January 15 2011 at 5:36 AM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down ReplyRead $22 million in debt. Why must you make it a racial situation? Are you a racist? If so, I feel sorry that you can't take the advice of Dr. King.
January 19 2011 at 2:17 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI am not a fan of Mr Steele but he should have seen this coming from the first day on the job. He was brought in to make the president look bad and bad enough to quit or resign. It didn't work. If they had really wanted to show their feelings for miniorites they should have had a miniortiy before Obama was president, not after . Steele walk right where they wanted him too but then he turn around and used it against them.
Republicans always react negative before thinking instead of thinking and then react. Their agenda was to make the president resign not knowning the president already knew what was going to happen. Everything they did the past two years will come back to haunt them. Both sides now realize that the president is not the yes man as he pretend to be, he knew that it would take time for people to get use to the idea of being president and he knew what came along with it. Have no doubt that while they were reacting by using racial slurs and everything else negative, the president was planning on his goals for the american people and when it would be time to strike. I think all the loud mouths and those who whine and cried will find that they are dealing with a different person and that they do not control him. He is now showing them something they have been afraid of for generations and that is they are no longer number one and the status quo is gone and won't be back.
Blacks,Blacks,Blacks,thats all we here about,do you know how many white people died in the civil war to free the slaves,they followed the whites into the entitelment game and now the illegals are hopping on board,if that sounds racist then so be it,I happen to be an American of mexican decent, believe what you want! How many white men died at the Alamo for America,now the mexicans want to be here!because they belive it's theirs to begin with? or becaus they like the freedom that we supposedly enjoy here,or maybe the free money? we have the richest poor in the world,but no work ethic. This new guy is a Lawyer,the Black guy spent to much money, buy the way why did the RNC want a black guy in the first place? and did you ever see a lawyer that was cheap! white black or brown!
"Tolerance is the last virtue of a dying society"
How's that! for pure rethoric!
Do you know how many Black people died in the Civil War to help the North? They North started out with slaves. All the States in the North East had slaves. More than the South. When Slavery was abolished, the North sent their slaves to the Caribbean to their sugar plantations. Don't believe me, check it out.
January 22 2011 at 5:35 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI am not suprised that Sneed is out. I think he was only selected to make the Rebublican party pretent that they were inclusive. I feel sorry for anyone who thinks that the intelligent people of the U.S. would fall for the scam of electing an African American to represent a party that is no longer inclusive of all. Maybe Sneed will find his moral compus and work to make some real political impact rather than money.
January 15 2011 at 2:02 AM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down ReplyBefore last elections I warned TEA Partiers, Michael Steele, Sarah Palin and other white women about Republicans. I said the Republican Party is a White males' establishment. Blacks, poor White male, White females and other racial minorities are not welcome. Well of course they can be in. But Republican leaders treat them as token. Do you, as minority or white woman, really can have intelligent conversation with Newt, John Boehner, Mitch McConnell and other Republicans? No. Now look what they have done to Michael and Sarah Palin. Dumped as trash. Republicans have chosen one of their own, Reince Priebus.
January 15 2011 at 1:22 AM Report abuse Permalink -1 rate up rate down ReplyIf he is your ally better watch your back!!!
January 15 2011 at 1:09 AM Report abuse Permalink +3 rate up rate down ReplyIf he is your ally better watch your back!!!
January 15 2011 at 1:09 AM Report abuse Permalink +2 rate up rate down ReplyThe RNC is 20 million dollars in debt. You aren't going to win many elections when you're party's broke.
January 15 2011 at 12:21 AM Report abuse Permalink +3 rate up rate down ReplyWhy don't people wake up the man is saying all he wants to do is keep President Obama from winning in 2012 but not do a damn thing for the American people. Just get his party a win.
January 15 2011 at 12:20 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
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