Maryland GOP wins election as RNC chair

This is the best coverage I've seen of the RNC Chairs race today. Here's a wrap up from the Detroit Free Press. - Ed.

By TODD SPANGLER
Detroit Free Press

UPDATED AT 4:13 p.m.

WASHINGTON - Michael Steele, the first African American elected to statewide office in the state of Maryland, wins election as chairman of the Republican National Committee.
A former lieutenant governor in Maryland, Steele beat South Carolina GOP chairman Katon Dawson 91 to 77.

He replaces Mike Duncan, who dropped out of the balloting earlier today.

UPDATED AT 3:53 p.m.

Michigan GOP chairman Saul Anuzis dropped out of the race for Republican National Committee chairman for the best of reasons.

"Can't win," he said. "I know how to count."

It leaves two candidates for the job: Michael Steele, the first African American to win statewide office in Maryland as lieutenant governor, and South Carolina GOP chair Katon Dawson who once belonged to an all-white country club.

The race was headed into a sixth ballot with 85 votes needed to win. On the fifth ballot, Steele led Dawson, 79 to 69. Anuzis was third with 20 and dropped out without endorsing either of the remaining candidates.

He said he'll work with whoever gets elected and has no plans to take a position with the winner.

"I"ll move on," said Anuzis, who steps down as Michigan's Republican Party chair next month.

UPDATED AT 3:48 p.m.

Michigan GOP chair Saul Anuzis drops out of race to be Republican National Committee chairman.

That leaves South Carolina's Katon Dawson and Maryland's Mike Steele 79 to 69 with 85 votes needed to win. Anuzis had 20.

UPDATED AT 3:18 p.m.

Ohio's Ken Blackwell, one of two African Americans in the race to become the next chairman of the Republican National Committee, dropped out after the fourth ballot and threw his weight behind the other, Maryland's Michael Steele.

Michigan's Saul Anuzis and South Carolina's Katon Dawson remain the other candidates in the race going into the fifth ballot.

UPDATED AT 3:00 p.m.

With the departure of current chair Mike Duncan from the race, South Carolina GOP chair Katon Dawson has taken the lead to become the next head of the Republican National Committee.

In the fourth round of balloting, Dawson took a 62-to-60 lead over Maryland's Michael Steele. Michigan GOP chairman Saul Anuzis was third with 31 votes.

Ohio's Ken Blackwell was fourth with 15 votes. To win, one of the candidates must get 85 votes.
Even though Anuzis remained well behind the others, his numbers did improve with the departure of Duncan from the race. Should his and Steele's forces come behind one or the other, they could propel their candidate to the chairmanship.

The contest is largely about change, with Duncan being criticized in some quarters for losses in congressional races and the presidency. Meanwhile, race has also played a role. Dawson was once a member of an all-white country club. Steele, a former lieutenant governor in Maryland, is African American. Sphere: Related Content