Michael Steele Faces Long Odds In Battle For RNC Chairmanship

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele's reelection odds looked longer than ever this weekend, as a Politico survey of RNC members showed a majority of votes on Friday's election will be cast for his opponents.

Politico's internal canvass of RNC leadership found low levels of support amongst the body's 168 members:

Fifty-five members, some of whom have endorsed one of Steele's challengers, have signaled that they will not support the chairman under any circumstances. An additional 33 pledged their support elsewhere.

Just as telling, not a single member of the committee said that Steele was their second choice in the race - a grave indicator in a contest likely to be decided in multiple ballots.

The latest vote counting comes as RNC spokesman Doug Heye, a Steele confidant, announced his plans to leave the committee after a leader is selected in the winter meeting this month.

Former RNC political director Gentry Collins also decided to give up his campaign for the chairmanship over the weekend, Politico reports, leaving frontrunner Reince Preibus, Saul Anuzis, Ann Wagner, and Maria Cino to face off with the gaffe-prone Steele in Monday's debate.

"I think any of the candidates would constitute a serious improvement over Chairman Steele's leadership of the committee," Collins, who departed from his committee position late last year after penning a caustic letter blasting the chairman's control of the RNC, told Politico.

Comments

[Jaxy]

04:43 PM on 01/03/2011

Dang it! Now, how are lesbian-acting strippers goona get their hands on Rethug donations now?

[Ernest Edwards]

04:07 PM on 01/03/2011

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

[Numskll]

03:59 PM on 01/03/2011

hopefully it will be drawn out and acrimonius

[Jaxy]

04:45 PM on 01/03/2011

Wow, your comment is so very 'evil' ... and yet so satisfyng. Fanned and faved!

[devilirius]

03:55 PM on 01/03/2011

I actually applaud Steele for not quitting, which would be easy to do with all of the "Southern strategy" types lining up to take him out. But, I will miss Jon Stewart's Muppet puppet Michael Steele after he's gone.

[Jerry Aripez]

03:36 PM on 01/03/2011

Man, I would love to be in the room when Mikey starts crying when they hand him his pink slip...

[Arthur Spooner]

03:29 PM on 01/03/2011

My guess is the only people pulling for Micheal Steele to win re election is his family and comedians.

[pgrlights]

03:04 PM on 01/03/2011

I thought Mikey went to school and learned that the "good ole red boys" can't be beaten at their own game. Wake up Mikey schools out and your not on the team anymore...Come back later and write a book of what them GOPPERS been doing while you were there..

[Jerry Aripez]

02:54 PM on 01/03/2011

Depressing when the bus you were riding on, backs up on ya....

[pgrlights]

03:05 PM on 01/03/2011

very funny

[Jerry Aripez]

03:09 PM on 01/03/2011

Last time he was seen, he was laying around at the bus stop...

[babybecks]

02:49 PM on 01/03/2011

Perhaps a bit juvenile, but I really do get a kick out of it when they eat their own. Guilty pleasure I guess!

[Numskll]

04:01 PM on 01/03/2011

same, but next time keep your "juvenile" comments to your self. They take away from the fun. ;-)

[HGfromOmaha]

02:42 PM on 01/03/2011

In the words of Ed Lover.....

C'mon Son!!

[Tanker10a]

02:30 PM on 01/03/2011

Mike,
Why don't you go away? Just, Go away! You've been used!

[HGfromOmaha]

02:41 PM on 01/03/2011

I wonder if he got a reach-a-round?

[GlackBOP]

02:28 PM on 01/03/2011

And rightly so. If you do a crappy job, you will be replaced by someone that, conceivably, will do a better one. We can't let Steele run our party for the next 2 years. You don't get as lucky as he got in the last election. Well, maybe not lucky. It's more like he was the beneficiary of my [TEA Party] work.

[Jerry Aripez]

02:52 PM on 01/03/2011

More like he was related...Uncle T...

[Numskll]

04:05 PM on 01/03/2011

The tea party came into prominance because of the juvenile awareness of the bad economy and fear of our black president which part of that "work" are you taking credit for?

[RoofinReality]

02:25 PM on 01/03/2011

"Mike, thanks for getting us into the majority in the House.
No offense, but now that we've used you to our gains, we no longer need your services."

p.s. in the future, no hood rats or hizzy the fizzies, or anyone else need apply. We're going back to our Southern Strategy that got us kicked out in 2006 and 2008.

[minusjason]

02:19 PM on 01/03/2011

Looks like our homeboy is in trouble! Naw mean?

[Bogey907]

02:18 PM on 01/03/2011

Champagne rooms around the country will have a night of mourning.