Steele lining up support for RNC bid -- but won't tell the media just how much
As Michael Steele continues his bid for Republican National Committee chairman, it's hard to determine just how deep his support runs.
We've received a memo from a Wisconsin Republican leader who is backing Steele. The memo notes that the Steele for Chairman campaign has 12 whips who are lining up votes for the election later this month, including Maryland national committeewoman Joyce Terhes and Republican leaders from California, Florida, Illinois and Arizona.
Sounds fine. But then there's this line: "Many reporters have asked us to release to them not just our whip list, but also our full list of RNC members who are pledged to vote for Michael. With no disrespect to the press, we of course will politely decline this request...(R)eleasing our full list of supporters in a 6 candidate field would be a strategic error."
It may be a strategic error. But it's also the argument offered by people who perhaps don't have that many votes lined up.
Click below to see the full memo.
January 15, 2009
MEMORANDUM
TO: Steele Team
FR: Reince Priebus, Chairman, Wisconsin Republican Party
RE: Campaign Update
Congrats Team, we now have 12 Whips working hard every day to elect Michael Steele as the next chairman of the RNC.
I know the Lt. Governor is very appreciative of all of our Whips listed below:
Sharon Giese, National Committeewoman, Arizona Republican Party
Shawn Steel, National Committeeman, California Republican Party
John Frey, National Committeeman, Connecticut Republican State Central Committee
Bob Kabel, Chairman, District of Columbia Republican Committee
Betsy Werronen, National Committeewoman, District of Columbia Republican Committee
Jim Greer, Chairman, Republican Party of Florida
Paul Senft, National Committeeman, Republican Party of Florida
Norm Semanko, Chairman, Idaho Republican State Central Committee
Patrick Brady, National Committeeman, Illinois Republican Party
Joyce Terhes, National Committeewoman, Republican State Central Committee of Maryland
Holly Hughes, National Committeewoman, Michigan Republican State Committee
Reince Preibus, Chairman, Wisconsin Republican Party
In addition, some of you have asked which states will be our nominating states. While no final decision has been made on this, we now have at least 7 states to choose from.
Finally, many reporters have asked us to release to them not just our Whip list, but also our full list of RNC members who are pledged to vote for Michael.
With no disrespect to the press, we of course will politely decline this request. As a former RNC member Michael feels strongly that this race is best waged member by member by member…and not in the press. Additionally, I would add the obvious point that releasing our full list of supporters in a 6 candidate field would be a strategic error.
Only 15 days left to victory!
Comments
While we are at it, how about we get a list of all of the $200 donors to the Obama campaign. Unlike the Steele voters, the election has been held and Obama's opponents (if such a thing exists) cannot sway these people away.
By the way, internal political party elections and actions are often conducted outside of the public eye. Often, our General Assembly caucus elections are closed to all but the caucus members. How often have there been many ballots with a final declared unanimous election?
This looks like Mr. Steele is putting his competition and the membership on notice about the divided leadership in the home states of his competition, and that he has captured leaders from at least one competitor's home state.
All of them would like to have eighty-six committed votes, but will only expose those votes who will not change. This dozen will need a third rail to change their votes and they agreed to be identified or would not have been. Remember, its politics.
Posted by: Bruce Robinson | January 16, 2009 3:36 PM