Michael Steele – New RNC Chair!

Michael Steele, former Lieutenant Governor from the State of Maryland and current GOPAC Chair, has become the Republican Party Chair. Steele promises to be the hands-on Party Chair that Republican Grassroots activists have been waiting for. Charismatic, media savvy and in-touch with technology, Steele’s election to Party Chair is well-timed - 2010 promises to be a better than anticipate year for Republican candidates, given general resistance to stimulus plan, and economic trends that have small businesses and the middle class leery of the current Congress.

So Long Sal, Another Massachusetts Speaker Bites the Political Dust

On the 27th of January, Massachusetts House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi, “retired” from the Statehouse after having been recently re-elected Speaker. DiMasi, is said to have resigned over a slight incident involving a lobbyist and some ticket-scalping legislation.

Proposed Legislation approved by both Attorney General, Martha Coakley and Governor Deval Patrick, calls for ethic reform in the Massachusetts body politic with high penalties for those caught taking bribes (see Lobbyists). This just weeks before DiMasi resigned - makes one wonder what took so long? Patrick, who is up for re-election in 2012, and DiMasi had butted heads over the Governors proposed Casinos Legislation - , DeMasi prevailed at the time – and now, with DiMasi’s “retirement”, that legislation may become a reality. Convenient ethics reform from a State well known for its lack thereof.

Former Massachusetts House Speaker Thomas Finneran, exited the office due to a conviction of obstruction of justice. Finneran is now a radio talk show host on on Boston’s WRKO, and is frequently referred to fellow WRKO host Howie Carr, as “Felon Finneran”. One thing is certain, Massachusetts, a state controlled by Democrat lawmakers, has continued to produce one scandal after another; and that pattern does not promise to change anytime soon.

The Boston Globe is noting that the new Speaker, Bob DeLeo, is “cut from the same cloth” as DiMasi. In the article, it was suggested that the House was run in a similar fashion to a “crime family”. What is of interest is that the The Globe, a longtime supporter of Boston’s top ( ,politico’s, (the Bulger’s for instance) – would write such a savvy “connect the dots - criminal family like atmosphere at the Statehouse” article regarding a man (DiMasi), who they so long supported. Of interest, how the Globe treats DeLeo, should he decide against supporting one of the Governor Patrick’s “favored legislation”. Ethics or expediency?

GOP Chair – Steele’s Support Said to Tie with Duncan’s

Depending upon which “news” source one is inclined to believe, Michael Steele has between (Politico) 30 supporters within the GOP Committee with MSNBC reporting 20 supporters. It should be noted that, the two reports are based upon the same information from Steele’s team. That said, the grassroots Republican’s and Conservatives support for Steele is significant. Supporters have utilized social networking sites such as Facebook, and the ”Draft Michael Steele” website, to urge visitors to send a personal message to their state Committee Delegates.

It will be the GOP Chair that can attract and hold the grassroots support, while getting out the GOP message that will move the party forward. Not for nothing, the balance of the candidates represent the Party “status quo”, especially current Party Chair, Duncan. This should send a clear message to those committee members who might still be on the fence that “stick to what we know” hasn’t worked out quite as well for the party. One cannot recall a time, during off-election years, when Duncan or any Republican Party Chair was visible to the party base and or the media. Therefore, regardless of Duncan’s ability to raise funds (which is proven), his inability to connect with media and the base, should be a warning to those Committee members who are still undecided. According to the Steele Website, this includes Committee members from the states of Alaska, DC, Hawaii, Kansas, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Wyoming. If accurate, these states represent the votes necessary to garner either Duncan or Steele, (assuming that they have no pledged to another candidate), enough votes to promote either man to the Chair.

There is a candidatures forum today for Committee members only, followed by the vote tomorrow, Friday, the 30th. Characterized as a “Nail Biter” by Greg Bobrinskoy, Real Clear Politics, this all-important vote for Party Leadership, will come down to the ability of the committee members to understand the need for a more aggressive grassroots organizer, with the promotion of Steele, or to play it “safe” and keep the status quo with Duncan.

Addendum: National Review online notes that Massachusetts Party Chair, Jody Dow, has comittedd to Michael Steele, while newly elected chair, Jennifer Nassour (who ran on a grassroots/media friendly chair platform - similar to Steele's), remained undecided.