THE PARTY’S NEXT CHAIRMAN
We Handicap the Candidates
By John Mercurio
MIKE DUNCAN JIM GREER
Bio: Current RNC chairman, Bio: Florida GOP chairman.
H
ere’s the good news for Republicans: When party
banker.
Pros: In the words of the
leaders gather in Washington this month, they face
Pros: He has close relations late Tim Russert, “Florida,
an election they can’t lose — the vote to choose the
with President Bush and Florida, Florida.” As RNC
Republican National Committee’s next chairman.
some top Republicans in chairman, Greer could
Before that election, though, activists must make some
Washington and is credited help the party expand its
painful choices. They need to decide what kind of party
with a strong fundraising fundraising base and create
they want the GOP to be.
drive in the 2008 campaign new ties to Hispanics.
Should the party return to its conservative roots, moti-
cycle. A Kentucky native,
vating a rich network of activists who have proved effective Clinton years and as
Cons: Some conservatives
Duncan also has strong ties
in winning past elections, but risking alienation of inde- Mississippi governor after
view him, along with Florida
to Senate Minority Leader
pendents and swing voters? Or should the party move to Hurricane Katrina.
Gov. Charlie Crist, as too
Mitch
the center, courting moderates and minority groups whose
moderate.
Cons: His ties to inside-
McConnell.
numbers are growing rapidly in key battleground states?
the-Beltway lobbyists, and
Status: Unclear.
Each top candidate for RNC chair has an opinion.
Cons: He
the GOP’s past, would be
Some Republicans are
Here’s a look at how they stack up in the contest, which will
oversaw a
diffi cult to overcome.
be decided Jan. 23 when the 168 RNC members convene
disastrous
Status: Unlikely to run.
for their annual winter meeting in Washington.
2008
Prospects: Poor, if only election
SAUL ANUZIS KEN BLACKWELL
because he doesn’t seem year and faces party
Bio:
inclined to run.
Michigan GOP Bio: Former Ohio secretary
activists who are eager to
chairman, former Teamster, of state, 2006 gubernatorial
project a fresh face and new
KATON DAWSON
telecommunications nominee.
vision in 2009.
executive.
Pros:
Bio: South Carolina GOP
An African-American
Status: Duncan says he’ll
chairman, president and
Pros: Technologically from the
wait until Senate races in
general manager of a
savvy and always press- must-win
Georgia and Minnesota are
family-owned auto parts
friendly, Anuzis is credited state of
resolved before he decides
distributor.
with pushing the party Ohio,
whether to seek another
to intensify its use of the Blackwell
Pros: Dawson hails from
term. encouraging him to run
Internet to expand its is viewed
the party’s base in the Prospects: Poor, if he even
but he hasn’t disclosed his
message and fundraising as a rising
conservative South, which runs.
plans.
efforts. A Lithuanian- star in the
gives him a strong network Prospects: Good, if he runs.
American, he could help the GOP and
of activists and volunteers.
NEWT GINGRICH
GOP expand its reach to someone
He has the support of
Bio: Former House speaker,
JIM NUSSLE
ethnic groups. who could help the party
the American Family
Association’s Donald
author.
Bio: Former Iowa
Cons: His state party is in
regain some of its lost clout
Wildmon, a darling of social Pros: One of the party’s
congressman, 2006
disarray, having lost every
in the Midwest.
conservatives. smartest minds, on
gubernatorial nominee,
major statewide race during Cons: He performed
both politics and policy.
former White House budget
the time he was chairman, poorly in Ohio’s 2006
Cons: Dawson’s recent
Considered a bold, outside-
director.
and he has several high- gubernatorial race,
the-box thinker. Well-spoken
Pros: He hails from Iowa,
profi le Michigan detractors, losing to Democrat Ted
and well-known throughout
which automatically makes
GES
most notably Republican Strickland in a diffi cult
the party’s base.
him someone
National Committeeman year for Republicans.
TY IMA
Chuck Yob, who also is
Cons: Many party activists
to see about
GET
Status: Rumored to be
considering a run for RNC
view Gingrich as a symbol
the 2012
Y
/
“seriously considering” a
chair.
of the party’s past and are
presidential
TERL
run.
eager to choose a leader
caucus. Iowa
Status: Announced.
Prospects: Fair.
who
also will be
Prospects: Fair to good.
offers
a central
HALEY BARBOUR
a more
battleground
Bio: Mississippi governor, membership in a forward-
in the 2012
C
ONGRESSIONAL QUAR
former RNC chairman, whites-only country club looking
general
ex-lobbyist. (he stepped down in vision.
election.
. FERRELL/
Pros: A proven
September) might make
Status:
Cons: Nussle can be T
T J
O
fundraiser and strategist,
it diffi cult for the GOP to
Unlikely
irksome and has made a
SC
Barbour is widely
expand its base outside of
to run.
few enemies during his
admired by party activists
white Southerners.
political career.
Prospects: Poor, if only
— both for his work as Status: Announced.
because he doesn’t seem
Status: Unclear.
RNC chief during the
Prospects: Fair to good. inclined to run.
Prospects: Fair.
AP IMAGES / GREER/
ing your virtue. You have to learn to say ‘no.’ 9/9/1982 ++ Liberalism has nothing more to say, nothing to
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NEWSMAX / JANUARY 2009
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