2009 Republican National Committee chairmanship election

American party leadership vote May 2025 2009 Republican National Committee chairmanship election Republican Disc.svg presidential no 2007 Republican National Committee chairmanship election 2007 Republican National Committee chairmanship election, 2011 2011 2009 01 20 x130px Michael Steele DC241F Katon Dawson DC241F x130px Mike Duncan DC241F Chairman Mike Duncan Michael Steele First round Sixth round 91 votes54.2% 77 votes45.8% Withdrawn 46 votes27.4% Saul Anuzis DC241F x130px 28 votes16.7% 52 votes31.0% 22 votes13.1% Withdrawn 168 members of the Republican National Committee 85The 2009 Republican National Committee chairmanship election started out as a six-way race, and ended on the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.https://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-01-30-rnc-chairmn_N.htm Michael Steele elected RNC chairman USA Today January 30, 2009 January 16, 2011 The Washington Times called it the "'Dirtiest ever' race for RNC chairman."http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jan/29/dirtiest-ever-race-for-rnc-chairman/ 'Dirtiest ever' race for RNC chairman The Washington Times January 29, 2009 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.November 13, 2009 http://www.politickermd.com/alexisenstadt/4162/draft-steele-group-launches Draft Steele group launches Alex Isenstadt November 11, 2008 Politicker.com dead https://web.archive.org/web/20081215161130/http://www.politickermd.com/alexisenstadt/4162/draft-steele-group-launches December 15, 2008 The website allowed visitors to sign a draft petition and received over 6,000 signatures. Campaign Katon Dawson announced his official bid on November 24, 2008.Mark Murray. 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. Steele: 'How do you like me now?' https://web.archive.org/web/20090205082936/http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=2A1BA222-18FE-70B2-A83323D0DB01F7E4 February 5, 2009 , Politico, January 30, 2009 On November 24, 2008, Steele launched his own campaign website,http://www.politickermd.com/danielreiter/4232/steele-website-goes-live#comment-9959 Steele Website Goes Live Daniel Reiter Politicker.com dead https://web.archive.org/web/20090126051147/http://www.politickermd.com/danielreiter/4232/steele-website-goes-live January 26, 2009 and confirmed his intention to run on Hannity and Colmes.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXw6YuMpyDs&feature=channel_page https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/LXw6YuMpyDs December 15, 2021 live November 13, 2008 Michael Steele Announces Candidacy for RNC Chair video – YouTube posting by SteeleForChairman on November 14, 2009 Hannity and Colmes Fox News 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."http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1876129,00.html New RNC Chairman: Michael Steele February 20, 2009 Stephey M.J. February 2, 2009 Time https://web.archive.org/web/20090205145409/http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1876129,00.html February 5, 2009 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.http://www.chipsaltsman.com/index.cfm?Page=Memo Memo – Chip Saltsman for RNC Chair Chipsaltsman.com January 16, 2011 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20101117195005/http://www.chipsaltsman.com/index.cfm?Page=Memo 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, "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, "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.Lawrence Jill https://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2009-01-04-gopchair_N.htm Six-way race for GOP chairman heats up USA Today January 5, 2009 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, "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 Liberal Calls Obama "Magic Negro"Rush Limbaugh recording via Media Matters. March 20, 2007 Latching onto L.A. Times op-ed, Limbaugh sings "Barack, The Magic Negro" https://web.archive.org/web/20160423181655/http://mediamatters.org/video/2007/03/20/latching-onto-la-times-op-ed-limbaugh-sings-bar/138345 April 23, 2016 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.https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/28/us/politics/28rnc.html?hp G.O.P. Receives Obama Parody to Mixed Reviews The New York Times December 28, 2008 DeParle Jason This is the song that Saltsman included on his CD.Sinderbrand, Rebecca, "RNC chairman candidate defends 'Barack the Magic Negro' song", CNN, December 26, 2008.https://www.politico.com/story/2008/12/magic-negro-flap-might-help-saltsman-016919 'Magic Negro' flap might help Saltsman Andy Barr Politico December 30, 2008 December 2, 2014 Saltsman's campaign imploded as a result of the controversy caused by the CD, and he withdrew from the race.Nagourney Adam https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/30/us/politics/30chair.html Candidate Linked to Obama Parody Song Leaves Race for G.O.P. Chairman January 29, 2009 The New York Timeshttp://politics.nashvillepost.com/2009/01/29/chip-saltsman-withdraws-from-rnc-chairmans-race/ Chip Saltsman Withdraws From RNC Chairman's Race Kleinheider NashvillePost.com January 29, 2009 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20090919170432/http://politics.nashvillepost.com/2009/01/29/chip-saltsman-withdraws-from-rnc-chairmans-race/ 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.http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/12/rnc_race_ramps_up.html?hpid=topnews https://web.archive.org/web/20120112210920/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/12/rnc_race_ramps_up.html?hpid=topnews dead January 12, 2012 RNC Field Sorts Itself Out January 2, 2009 Cillizza Chris December 11, 2008 The Fix The Washington Post http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000003021842&cpage=1 Republican Choose Michael Steele as Party Chairman CQ Politics January 30, 2009 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20090203003925/http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000003021842&cpage=1 February 3, 2009 mdy-all http://polipundit.com/index.php?p=20632 RNC Chairman Vote: Live Coverage PollPundit.com January 30, 2009 February 22, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20090202073843/http://polipundit.com/index.php?p=20632 February 2, 2009 dead Candidate Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Round 6 Michael Steele 464851 60 79 91 Katon Dawson 28 29 34 62 69 77 Saul Anuzis 22 24 24 31 20 00 Withdrew Ken Blackwell 20 19 15 15 00 Withdrew Mike Duncan Mike Duncan (politician) 52 48 44 00 Withdrew cornflowerblue darkgray Candidate won that round of voting lightgrey darkgray Candidate withdrew limegreen darkgray Candidate won RNC Chairmanship After the third round of balloting Duncan dropped out of contention without endorsing a candidate.Armbinder Mark http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/01/rnc_chairman_duncan_drops_reel.php RNC Chairman Duncan Drops Re-Election Bid January 30, 2009 The Atlantic February 22, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20090201020537/http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/01/rnc_chairman_duncan_drops_reel.php February 1, 2009 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.Cillizza Chris http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2009/01/steele_elected_rnc_chair.html https://web.archive.org/web/20090801012636/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2009/01/steele_elected_rnc_chair.html dead August 1, 2009 Steele Elected RNC Chair January 30, 2009 The Washington Post After the fifth round, Steele held a ten-vote lead over Katon Dawson, with 79 votes, and Saul Anuzis dropped out.Hamby Peter http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/category/rnc-race/ Steele wins contentious RNC race January 30, 2009 CNN Political Ticker February 22, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20090204093205/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/category/rnc-race/ February 4, 2009 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.https://thehill.com/homenews/news/15705-rnc-race-came-down-to-island-territories/ The Hill RNC race came down to island territories Reid Hill February 9, 2009 Steele won the chairmanship of the RNC in the sixth round, with 91 votes to Dawson's 77.Burns Alexander It's Steele! Politico January 30, 2009 https://www.politico.com/story/2009/01/its-steele-018216 January 30, 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20090201061324/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/18216.html February 1, 2009 live See also 2009 Democratic National Committee chairmanship election References 3 Category:Michael Steele National Committee Republican National Committee Chairmanship Election Category:Republican Party (United States) leadership elections Chairmanship election, 2009 Republican National Committee Chairmanship Election Republican National Committee chairmanship election