Former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele has decided to run for the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee, a move sure to shake up the evolving race for control of a party demoralized by broad losses at the ballot box earlier this month.

Steele confirmed his candidacy in an interview today with The Fix and announced it formally during an interview on Fox News Channel's "Hannity & Colmes" show this evening.

"After two devastating election cycles, the party has reached a crossroads," said Steele comparing the Republican party to someone who has "hunkered down" in a corner with no idea what to do next. "I think I may have some keys to open the door, some juice to turn on the lights," Steele explained.

Steele is the second candidate to formally enter the race; Michigan Republican Party Chair Saul Anuzis launched his own bid with a You Tube video and a new website earlier this week.

A number of other candidates are mulling the race including: current RNC Chairman Mike Duncan, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.), former Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Chip Saltsman, former Iowa Rep. Jim Nussle, South Carolina Party Chair Katon Dawson and Florida Republican Party Chair Jim Greer.

The next chairman will be selected by 168 RNC committeemen and women during the organization's winter meeting in January.

Steele seems virtually certain to be one of the frontrunners for the post no matter who else joins the race given his resume and his profile. Following a stint as chairman of the Maryland Republican Party, Steele was elected lieutenant governor of Maryland in 2002. In 2006, he embarked on a Senate bid for the seat vacated by Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D). Despite massive spending on his behalf by the national party, Steele came up short to now Sen. Ben Cardin.

Since that loss, Steele has remained in the party mix as chairman of GOPAC, a national conservative organization designed to elect Republicans at the state and local level. He is also a frequent television presence as a contributor on Fox News Channel and the author of the now famous (infamous?) "Drill Baby Drill" line at the Republican National Convention.

Steele is also African American, a potentially powerful distinction in a party struggling for leaders that break out of the "old white guy" mold and badly in need of ways to broaden their coalition in future national elections.

For his part, Steele rejected the idea that the color of his skin had anything to do with his chances at becoming RNC chair. "I am a Republican who happens to be African American," he said.

Steele added that over the past few days he has been reaching out via phone to as many of the committee members as possible to make sure they know how important they are in this process. The people he has spoken with are "appreciative" of his candidacy, Steele said; "Even for those who have already committed to someone else they have been very enthusiastic," he noted.

In the interview Steele also made clear that in the current debate over whether the party should move to the middle or reaffirm its conservatives roots he falls clearly in the latter category.

"The core values of our party should not change," Steele said. "We are the conservative voice in America.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/11/michael_steele_to_run_fo...