WASHINGTON (CNN) – Republican Party chairman Mike Duncan, who was appointed to lead the party by George W. Bush in 2007, dropped his re-election bid on Friday, telling committee members: “Obviously the winds of change are blowing here at the RNC.”
Duncan rose to address the 168-member committee after a three disappointing rounds of balloting in the chairman’s election. He bled votes on every successive ballot, his support trickling to the other candidates in the race.
Despite the sometimes contentious nature of the campaign and criticism that the party suffered with him at the helm, Duncan told the crowd the race has been worth it.
“I thought this would be good for the party,” he said. “And I think it has been.”
With Duncan out of the running, the race comes down to four candidates: former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, South Carolina GOP chairman Katon Dawson, Michigan GOP chairman Saul Anuzis and former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell.
Duncan earned a noisy round of applause when he said running the committee "has truly been the highlight of my life.”
(Updated 2:32 pm)
From CNN Politics
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Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but Blackwell and Steele are the only diverse Americans I see in the room.
Please post.........................
Just like paint drying, the excitement continues to mount.
GOP = Goofs on Parade
the 3 biggest faces of the GOP by the 2010 elections could be Steele, Jindal, and Palin. amazing!
Okay...
What it is with OLD WHITE MEN and their hair? OLD men should NOT be wearing patched carpets on their heads. It makes them look so AWFUL, what are these men thinking?
IT'S NOT ATTRACTIVE AT ALL.
It just makes you look all the more ridiculous at your age walking around with a silly pasted piece of hair patched on your head!!
WHY are men so scared of being bald?
Donald Trump needs to CUT the mess of his hair too. I know his wife thinks he looks utterly ridiculous. Men, they just can't seem to grow old gracefully. So sad.
Seriously? Ride the wave..."I know lets show everyone WE are changing by picking this black man".
I am an individual who is made up of many beliefs, I don't affiliate myself with a single party ideology I am me. I honestly repsect some of the core values of the republican party but when the face of the party is Limbaugh and crazies like Palin, come on. By the way, the RNC is full of hate, not that it isn;'t out there in general, but that party is FULL of it, see Limbaugh again.
RNC = If it isn't our way, its wrong and you all suck.
This is the reason why the Rebublicans will continue to struggle ... Serious problems with being genuine:
Heckkuva job, Dunkie!
I think Dawson (Obama’s worst nightmare) will probably win. The important thing is to make black voters think republicans care about them.
Change
January 30th, 2009 3:03 pm ET .