November 23, 2009
Posted: November 23rd, 2009 04:28 PM ET
RNC official resigns.
RNC official resigns.

Washington (CNN) – A senior aide to Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele has resigned his post less than one month after the GOP scored major victories by winning the governorships of New Jersey and Virginia, CNN has learned.

RNC Communications Director Trevor Francis is leaving his job, Steele confirmed in statement to CNN, but offered no reason for the departure. Francis joined the RNC after Steele was elected chairman at the beginning of the year.

"Trevor took a hiatus from a very successful private sector career to give service to the Republican Party this year," Steele said in the statement. "Trevor's talents will be missed at the RNC. We have accomplished a great deal in the year he was here. He worked tirelessly, as did the whole team, on the victories in Virginia and his home state of New Jersey."

Steele's short time as chairman has been marked by highs and lows, marked by both fundraising success and his own headline-grabbing statements.

–CNN's Mark Preston, Brianna Keilar and Deirdre Walsh

Filed under: Michael Steele • RNC • Trevor Francis


noneofyourbusiness   November 23rd, 2009 9:05 pm ET

I guess when ol' Trevor realized he would not be able to agree with the RNC manifesto, he did the only honorable thing – committed political sepuki!

Rick   November 23rd, 2009 8:53 pm ET

The ship is sinking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

M issy Pooh   November 23rd, 2009 8:37 pm ET

He was tired of saying NO everydayLOL!

A weary Independent   November 23rd, 2009 8:27 pm ET

Looks like the rats are abandoning a sinking ship!

The Great Northwest   November 23rd, 2009 8:05 pm ET

He must not jump when they hollar jump,not lie every breathy or have as big a bag of wind for the party of no .

keithc   November 23rd, 2009 7:41 pm ET

Vote for Micheal Steele for President in 2012!!

Freedom to Think   November 23rd, 2009 7:36 pm ET

I guess he decided he wanted to think for himself, and did not want to stay with the communist RNC.

DJ   November 23rd, 2009 6:55 pm ET

Going to work for a big $ lobbyists I'm sure...seems odd he would leave with no explanation unless he is hiding something

myrna james   November 23rd, 2009 6:38 pm ET

T hank you...now we don't have to Steele ourselves watching CNN.
I'm on slow dial-up so it's hard to get there on time before the End of Comment showsu up.
So to follow up... Get JOHN KING to wise up and with the likes of Mitch McConnell talking about down with the health care bill...by posting at the bottom of the screen ALL OF THE $$$ AND THE SOURCE OF $$$ FROM HEALTH INS. CO'S AND PHARMACEUTIAL COMPANIES any source of campaign $$ that influences his "Attitude" He should do that will ANYONE he interviews...if he really wants
MOUTH Cafferty is another one...that is hard to listen too. I watch C-Span to wash away the Crap and Spin from CNN...but thank you for dumping Lou Dobbs...now he can get on Time Mag. sticking out his tongue like GLenn Beck....laughing all the way to the bank
Do something CNN about showing how much the feat ured Congresspeople are getting out of all of this from the Drug and Ins. companies.

samuel, Dublin   November 23rd, 2009 6:32 pm ET

New jersy made the biggest mistake of voting a republican party
( Party of the No,nos,nos) who hardly agree to anything good. They are only looking for the pockets of the rich friends. So the republicans party in the U.S.A can be defined as The Party of the Rich by the Corporate/Contractors for the Rich and the Oppressors in the U.S.A.

New Age Independent   November 23rd, 2009 6:27 pm ET

Yep, just what I expected... more liberal hatred and intolerance. Yeah, that's just the kind of people I want to be around... NOT

Jackie in Dallas   November 23rd, 2009 6:08 pm ET

Rats...sinking ship, anyone?

They call me "tater salad"   November 23rd, 2009 6:05 pm ET

The token loses a token.......Big deal!

Anonymous   November 23rd, 2009 5:57 pm ET

Virginia & New Jersey...do they really matter??? When voting time comes around again beware of the Tsunami. Republicans hate America and they will pay dearly no matter what label they try to slap on to themselves...bunch of LOSERS!

mjm   November 23rd, 2009 5:50 pm ET

Good. I liked Steel but he's not up to the task.

Let someone else take over. This is good news for republicans.

Now, if the Bear's could just get rid of Lovie.....

Aspen Professor   November 23rd, 2009 5:48 pm ET

Maybe Trevor has gotten as sick of the Repubs as the rest of the country has?

Reformed Republican   November 23rd, 2009 5:46 pm ET

It's always the smart rats that know when to desert a sinking ship...

Guess he was solcialist   November 23rd, 2009 5:44 pm ET

Like the other 3/4 of the nation!!

OldUncleTom   November 23rd, 2009 5:43 pm ET

Conservatives may be making headlines, but the Republican Party is still circling the bowl.

Robin   November 23rd, 2009 5:38 pm ET

If NJ was not important, then why did Obama campaign there THREE times? Three times, and Corzine still lost, by a landslide.

NY-23 is up again for a vote in 2010, so we will see what happens, but I predict a major victory for Republicans in 2010.

Steve, New York City   November 23rd, 2009 5:37 pm ET

I wonder why he resigned? Maybe he wasn't extremist enough.

ThinkAgain   November 23rd, 2009 5:26 pm ET

He probably didn't agree with enough of the proposed GOP "principles".

For a bunch of folks who like to pound their chests about freedom, they sure as heck don't tolerate dissent!

duckunder   November 23rd, 2009 5:23 pm ET

Probably was not "conservative enough" to meet the litmus test.

Gekonge   November 23rd, 2009 5:17 pm ET

When will Micheal Steele go? He is in the wrong house making wrong choices, and getting wrong ideas, come home brother, your mama is wondering what happened to your brains

C. Farrell, Houston, Tx   November 23rd, 2009 5:10 pm ET

Michael Steele will be next.

Steph   November 23rd, 2009 5:10 pm ET

Another casualty of the RNC's shrinking tent???

suzy   November 23rd, 2009 5:05 pm ET

can the republican party resign?

hongli   November 23rd, 2009 5:03 pm ET

It's just a matter of time before Rush and company kick Steele out of the RNC.

Irma in North Carolina   November 23rd, 2009 5:00 pm ET

May be this guy finally woke up and seen what the republican party really is and how they are the party of no.

payback   November 23rd, 2009 4:56 pm ET

.....He will soon be joining the Democracts. Hear, what I say.

dave   November 23rd, 2009 4:56 pm ET

It is going to be great when we finally get down to a one party system!

Peggy   November 23rd, 2009 4:55 pm ET

Is Sarah Palin going to replace him????? How will we know the difference???????

The Other Michael in Houston   November 23rd, 2009 4:54 pm ET

I would quit too if I was being forced into communism. Michael Steele is a joke and he still doesn't realize why he is there? I guess all house boys think life is better than being in the field

D. Tree   November 23rd, 2009 4:48 pm ET

He's probably not radical enough for the new ultra-right wing Republican Party.

LacrosseMom   November 23rd, 2009 4:46 pm ET

"Major victories"???????? Governors do not legislate, on a national level.

The major victories were the TWO CONGRESSIONAL SEATS PICK UP BY THE DEMOCRATS!

NY-23 AND IN CA!

Right wingnuts are the darlings of dementia   November 23rd, 2009 4:40 pm ET

He probably read the republican policies resolution and realized he could not support them.

DT   November 23rd, 2009 4:38 pm ET

Is is clear wit Rush?

Texas Doc   November 23rd, 2009 4:37 pm ET

It was probably all of the tea bagging.

Mickey   November 23rd, 2009 4:37 pm ET

Now there's a surprise...

GOP: Evolve or die.

Dutch/Bad Newz, VA   November 23rd, 2009 4:37 pm ET

I smell scandal on the horizon.

Dutch/Bad Newz, VA   November 23rd, 2009 4:31 pm ET

Good Riddance

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