2009 Republican National Committee chairmanship election

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 2009 Republican National Committee chairmanship election

| flag_image = Republican Disc.svg

| type = presidential

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 2007 Republican National Committee chairmanship election

| previous_year = 2007

| next_election = Republican National Committee chairmanship election, 2011

| next_year = 2011

| election_date = {{Start date|2009|01|20}}

| image1 = x130px

| candidate1 = Michael Steele

| color1 = DC241F

| image2 =

| candidate2 = Katon Dawson

| color2 = DC241F

| image4 = x130px

| candidate4 = Mike Duncan

| color4 = DC241F

| title = Chairman

| before_election = Mike Duncan

| after_election = Michael Steele

| 1blank = First round

| 2blank = Sixth round

| 2data1 = 91 votes
54.2%

| 2data2 = 77 votes
45.8%

| 2data4 = Withdrawn

| 1data1 = 46 votes
27.4%

| candidate5 = Saul Anuzis

| colour5 = DC241F

| image5 = x130px

| 1data2 = 28 votes
16.7%

| 1data4 = 52 votes
31.0%

| 1data5 = 22 votes
13.1%

| 2data5 = Withdrawn

| votes_for_election = 168 members of the Republican National Committee

| needed_votes = 85

}}The 2009 Republican National Committee chairmanship election started out as a six-way race, and ended on the sixth ballot with Michael Steele becoming the first African-American chairman of the Republican National Committee.{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-01-30-rnc-chairmn_N.htm |title=Michael Steele elected RNC chairman |work=USA Today |date=January 30, 2009 |access-date=January 16, 2011}} The Washington Times called it the "'Dirtiest ever' race for RNC chairman."{{cite web|url=http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jan/29/dirtiest-ever-race-for-rnc-chairman/ |title='Dirtiest ever' race for RNC chairman |work=The Washington Times |date=January 29, 2009 |access-date=January 16, 2011}}

Pre-campaign

On November 11, 2008, Jeff Burton launched a political draft website to encourage Steele to run for Republican National Committee Chairman.{{cite web|access-date=November 13, 2009|url=http://www.politickermd.com/alexisenstadt/4162/draft-steele-group-launches|title=Draft Steele group launches|first=Alex|last=Isenstadt|date=November 11, 2008|publisher=Politicker.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081215161130/http://www.politickermd.com/alexisenstadt/4162/draft-steele-group-launches|archive-date=December 15, 2008}} The website allowed visitors to sign a draft petition and received over 6,000 signatures.

In the months leading up to the election, discussions within the Republican Party highlighted the need for a leader who could revitalize the party after significant losses in the 2008 elections. Michael Steele, a former Maryland lieutenant governor and a prominent figure in the party, began to gain attention as a potential candidate. Steele's reputation as a moderate Republican with strong communication skills made him a compelling choice for those seeking to broaden the party's appeal.{{cite web|url=http://www.draftmichaelsteele.com/ |title=Support Michael Steele for RNC Chairman

|publisher=draftmichaelsteele.com| access-date=February 22, 2010 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100325224339/http://www.draftmichaelsteele.com/| archive-date= March 25, 2010| url-status= live}}

Simultaneously, other candidates began positioning themselves for the chairmanship, including South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Katon Dawson and Michigan GOP Chairman Saul Anuzis.{{Cite web |date=2010-11-13 |title=It's On: Saul Anuzis Will Challenge Michael Steele for RNC Chairmanship {{!}} The Weekly Standard |url=http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/battle-rnc-begins-former-michigan-gop-chairman-will-challenge-michael-steele_516576.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101113222940/http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/battle-rnc-begins-former-michigan-gop-chairman-will-challenge-michael-steele_516576.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2010-11-13 |access-date=2025-05-02 }}{{Cite web |date=2009-02-03 |title=Dawson officially enters RNC race - First Read - msnbc.com |url=http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/11/24/1687821.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090203010326/http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/11/24/1687821.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=2009-02-03 |access-date=2025-05-02 }}

Campaign

Katon Dawson announced his official bid on November 24, 2008.Mark Murray. [https://web.archive.org/web/20090203010326/http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/11/24/1687821.aspx Dawson officially enters RNC race], MSNBC, November 24, 2008 Dawson was one of two candidates to earn votes on each of the six votes taken; he lost the final ballot to winner Michael Steele, 91–77.Burns, Alexander. [https://www.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=2A1BA222-18FE-70B2-A83323D0DB01F7E4 Steele: 'How do you like me now?'] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205082936/http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=2A1BA222-18FE-70B2-A83323D0DB01F7E4 |date=February 5, 2009 }}, Politico, January 30, 2009

On November 24, 2008, Steele launched his own campaign website,{{cite web|url=http://www.politickermd.com/danielreiter/4232/steele-website-goes-live#comment-9959 |title=Steele Website Goes Live |first=Daniel |last=Reiter |publisher=Politicker.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090126051147/http://www.politickermd.com/danielreiter/4232/steele-website-goes-live |archive-date=January 26, 2009 }} and confirmed his intention to run on Hannity and Colmes.{{cite web

|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXw6YuMpyDs&feature=channel_page |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/LXw6YuMpyDs |archive-date=December 15, 2021 |url-status=live|date=November 13, 2008

|title=Michael Steele Announces Candidacy for RNC Chair|format=video – YouTube posting by SteeleForChairman on November 14, 2009|work=Hannity and Colmes|publisher=Fox News}}{{cbignore}} Steele, seen as an early frontrunner, rejected the idea that the color of his skin had anything to do with his chances at becoming RNC chair, saying, "I am a Republican who happens to be African-American."{{cite news |url=http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1876129,00.html |title=New RNC Chairman: Michael Steele |access-date=February 20, 2009 |last=Stephey |first=M.J. |date=February 2, 2009 |work=Time| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090205145409/http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1876129,00.html| archive-date= February 5, 2009 | url-status= dead}}

Chip Saltsman was the first candidate to release a specific plan regarding the future of the party, which can be viewed at Our Plan for Republican Victory.{{cite web |url=http://www.chipsaltsman.com/index.cfm?Page=Memo |title=Memo – Chip Saltsman for RNC Chair |publisher=Chipsaltsman.com |access-date=January 16, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101117195005/http://www.chipsaltsman.com/index.cfm?Page=Memo |archive-date=November 17, 2010 }} In his bid for the RNC Chairmanship, Saltsman had been endorsed by: former Republican presidential candidate Governor Mike Huckabee,Huckabee, Governor Mike, [http://www.huckpac.com/?FuseAction=Blogs.View&Blog_id=2017 "Chip Saltsman for RNC Chair"], Huck PAC, December 8, 2008. former United States Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, Tennessee Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey, and Tennessee House Majority Leader Jason Mumpower.Brooks, Jennifer and Theo Emery, [http://www.tennessean.com/article/20081209/NEWS0206/812090360/1001/RSS01 "Saltsman acts to become national GOP chairman"], The Tennessean, December 9, 2008.

USA Today reported that, "half of the candidates to lead the Republican National Committee (RNC) are Southerners: current Chairman Mike Duncan of Kentucky, South Carolina Chairman Katon Dawson and former Tennessee chairman Chip Saltsman. Former Ohio secretary of State Ken Blackwell and former Maryland lieutenant governor Michael Steele are black. Saul Anuzis, the Michigan GOP chairman, is a Harley-Davidson rider, an ex-union member and the son of an autoworker.{{cite web|last=Lawrence |first=Jill |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2009-01-04-gopchair_N.htm |title=Six-way race for GOP chairman heats up |work=USA Today |date=January 5, 2009 |access-date=January 16, 2011}}

="Barack the Magic Negro" controversy=

For Christmas 2008, Chip Saltsman sent members of the Republican National Committee a music CD of 41 songs that included one entitled "Barack the Magic Negro" set to the tune of "Puff, the Magic Dragon". The origin of the song was the title a Los Angeles Times column, written by David Ehrenstein in March 2007 that criticized the reception that Obama, a long shot candidate at the time, was getting in white America; Ehrenstein described the image of Obama in white America as that of a Magical Negro, a stereotypical gentle black man who helps white people, often used in movies created by white people.Ehrenstein, David, [http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-ehrenstein19mar19,0,3391015.story "Obama the 'Magic Negro' "], The Los Angeles Times, March 19, 2007. Quote: Like a comic-book superhero, Obama is there to help, out of the sheer goodness of a heart we need not know or understand. For as with all Magic Negroes, the less real he seems, the more desirable he becomes. If he were real, white America couldn't project all its fantasies of curative black benevolence on him" Rush Limbaugh commented on the column the day it published, and interpreted it as criticizing Obama himself, called the column an example of "the racism of the left," and sang the words, "Barack the Magic Negro", to the tune of "Puff the Magic Dragon."Rush Limbaugh Show Transcript. March 19, 2007 [https://web.archive.org/web/20120212192156/http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2007/03/19/liberal_calls_obama_magic_negro Liberal Calls Obama "Magic Negro"]Rush Limbaugh recording via Media Matters. March 20, 2007 [http://mediamatters.org/video/2007/03/20/latching-onto-la-times-op-ed-limbaugh-sings-bar/138345 Latching onto L.A. Times op-ed, Limbaugh sings "Barack, The Magic Negro"] Song is at 11:30 Shortly after that Paul Shanklin recorded a song about Barack the Magic Negro set to that same tune, which Limbaugh played numerous times throughout the 2008 presidential election season.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/28/us/politics/28rnc.html?hp|title=G.O.P. Receives Obama Parody to Mixed Reviews|work=The New York Times|date=December 28, 2008|last=DeParle|first=Jason}} This is the song that Saltsman included on his CD.Sinderbrand, Rebecca, [http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/26/rnc.obama.satire/index.html "RNC chairman candidate defends 'Barack the Magic Negro' song"], CNN, December 26, 2008.{{cite web|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2008/12/magic-negro-flap-might-help-saltsman-016919|title= 'Magic Negro' flap might help Saltsman |first=Andy | last=Barr|publisher=Politico|date=December 30, 2008|access-date= December 2, 2014}} Saltsman's campaign imploded as a result of the controversy caused by the CD, and he withdrew from the race.{{cite news |last=Nagourney |first=Adam|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/30/us/politics/30chair.html|title=Candidate Linked to Obama Parody Song Leaves Race for G.O.P. Chairman|date=January 29, 2009 |work=The New York Times}}{{cite web|url=http://politics.nashvillepost.com/2009/01/29/chip-saltsman-withdraws-from-rnc-chairmans-race/|title=Chip Saltsman Withdraws From RNC Chairman's Race|last=Kleinheider|publisher=NashvillePost.com|date=January 29, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090919170432/http://politics.nashvillepost.com/2009/01/29/chip-saltsman-withdraws-from-rnc-chairmans-race/|archive-date=September 19, 2009}}

=Voting=

The election was decided in late January after six rounds of voting, with Steele elected chairman by a majority vote of the 168 committee members.{{cite web |url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/12/rnc_race_ramps_up.html?hpid=topnews |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120112210920/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/12/rnc_race_ramps_up.html?hpid=topnews |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 12, 2012 |title=RNC Field Sorts Itself Out |access-date=January 2, 2009 |last=Cillizza |first=Chris |date=December 11, 2008 |series=The Fix |work=The Washington Post}}{{cite web| url = http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000003021842&cpage=1| title = Republican Choose Michael Steele as Party Chairman| author = CQ Politics| date = January 30, 2009| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090203003925/http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000003021842&cpage=1| archive-date = February 3, 2009| df = mdy-all}}{{cite web| url = http://polipundit.com/index.php?p=20632| title = RNC Chairman Vote: Live Coverage| author = PollPundit.com| date = January 30, 2009| access-date = February 22, 2010| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090202073843/http://polipundit.com/index.php?p=20632| archive-date = February 2, 2009| url-status = dead}}

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
scope="col" \| Candidate ! scope="col" \| Round 1 ! scope="col" \| Round 2 ! scope="col" \| Round 3 ! scope="col" \| Round 4 ! scope="col" \| Round 5 ! scope="col" \| Round 6
scope="row" \| {{sortname\|Michael\|Steele}} \| 46 \| style="background:cornflowerblue;"\|48 \| style="background:cornflowerblue;"\|51 \| 60 \| style="background:cornflowerblue;"\| 79 \| style="background:limegreen;"\| 91
scope="row" \| {{sortname\|Katon\|Dawson}} \| 28 \| 29 \| 34 \| style="background:cornflowerblue;"\| 62 \| 69 \| 77
scope="row" \| {{sortname\|Saul\|Anuzis}} \| 22 \| 24 \| 24 \| 31 \| 20 \|style="background:lightgrey; text-align:center"\| {{sort\|00\|Withdrew}}
scope="row" \| {{sortname\|Ken\|Blackwell}} \| 20 \| 19 \| 15 \| 15 \|colspan="2" style="background:lightgrey; text-align:center"\| {{sort\|00\|Withdrew}}
scope="row" \| {{sortname\|Mike\|Duncan\|Mike Duncan (politician)}} \| style="background:cornflowerblue;"\| 52 \| style="background:cornflowerblue;"\| 48 \| 44 \|colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey; text-align:center"\| {{sort\|00\|Withdrew}}

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"

scope="col" | Candidate

! scope="col" | Round 1

! scope="col" | Round 2

! scope="col" | Round 3

! scope="col" | Round 4

! scope="col" | Round 5

! scope="col" | Round 6

scope="row" | {{sortname|Michael|Steele}}

| 46

| style="background:cornflowerblue;"|48

| style="background:cornflowerblue;"|51

| 60

| style="background:cornflowerblue;"| 79

| style="background:limegreen;"| 91

scope="row" | {{sortname|Katon|Dawson}}

| 28

| 29

| 34

| style="background:cornflowerblue;"| 62

| 69

| 77

scope="row" | {{sortname|Saul|Anuzis}}

| 22

| 24

| 31

| 20

|style="background:lightgrey; text-align:center"| {{sort|00|Withdrew}}

scope="row" | {{sortname|Ken|Blackwell}}

| 20

| 19

| 15

|colspan="2" style="background:lightgrey; text-align:center"| {{sort|00|Withdrew}}

scope="row" | {{sortname|Mike|Duncan|Mike Duncan (politician)}}

| style="background:cornflowerblue;"| 52

| style="background:cornflowerblue;"| 48

| 44

|colspan="3" style="background:lightgrey; text-align:center"| {{sort|00|Withdrew}}

:{{Color box|cornflowerblue|border=darkgray}} Candidate won that round of voting

:{{Color box|lightgrey|border=darkgray}} Candidate withdrew

:{{Color box|limegreen|border=darkgray}} Candidate won RNC Chairmanship

After the third round of balloting Duncan dropped out of contention without endorsing a candidate.{{cite journal|last=Armbinder|first=Mark|url=http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/01/rnc_chairman_duncan_drops_reel.php|title=RNC Chairman Duncan Drops Re-Election Bid|date=January 30, 2009|journal=The Atlantic|access-date=February 22, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090201020537/http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/01/rnc_chairman_duncan_drops_reel.php|archive-date=February 1, 2009|url-status=dead}} Ken Blackwell, the only other African-American candidate, dropped out after the fourth ballot and endorsed Steele, though Blackwell had been the most socially conservative of the candidates and Steele had been accused of not being "sufficiently conservative." Steele picked up Blackwell's votes.{{cite news|last=Cillizza |first=Chris|url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2009/01/steele_elected_rnc_chair.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090801012636/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2009/01/steele_elected_rnc_chair.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 1, 2009|title=Steele Elected RNC Chair |date=January 30, 2009 |work=The Washington Post}} After the fifth round, Steele held a ten-vote lead over Katon Dawson, with 79 votes, and Saul Anuzis dropped out.{{cite web|last=Hamby|first=Peter|url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/category/rnc-race/|title=Steele wins contentious RNC race|date=January 30, 2009|work=CNN Political Ticker|access-date=February 22, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090204093205/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/category/rnc-race/|archive-date=February 4, 2009|url-status=dead}}

=The sixth round=

The final push that led to Steele's win was from the eight voters from the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa and the Virgin Islands, who switched to Steele after Anuzis dropped out.{{cite news |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/news/15705-rnc-race-came-down-to-island-territories/ |work=The Hill |title=RNC race came down to island territories |author=Reid Hill |date=February 9, 2009}} Steele won the chairmanship of the RNC in the sixth round, with 91 votes to Dawson's 77.{{cite news|last=Burns|first=Alexander|title=It's Steele!|publisher=Politico|date=January 30, 2009|url=https://www.politico.com/story/2009/01/its-steele-018216|access-date=January 30, 2009| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090201061324/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/18216.html| archive-date= February 1, 2009 | url-status= live}}

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:2009 Republican National Committee Chairmanship Election}}

Category:Michael Steele

National Committee

Republican National Committee Chairmanship Election

Category:Republican Party (United States) leadership elections

Chairmanship election, 2009