GOP Civil War: Michael Steele Continues to Crash and Burn

Posted by Faiz Shakir, Think Progress at 1:08 PM on March 11, 2009.

Speaking at the Texas Energy Museum’s Blowout 2009 fundraiser at the Beaumont Civic Center earlier this week, Newt Gingrich subtly suggested that RNC Chairman Michael Steele isn’t focused on America’s needs:

Still, Gingrich was hopeful about the future of his party and said, "If the Republican Party quits worrying about the Republican Party, from the chairman down, and focuses on what America needs, we’ll do fine."

These days, Michael Steele isn’t getting much love (slum or otherwise) from his conservative colleagues. “He was elected because of his communications skills,” a Republican insider told Byron York, “and it is exactly those skills that are hurting the party right now.” Yesterday, Sen. Arlen Specter said, “I wouldn’t pay a whole lot of attention” to Steele. And today, there are reports that a former RNC candidate is organizing a no-confidence vote against him.

Tagged as: conservatives, rnc, newt gingrich, michael steele, gop civil war

Faiz Shakir is the Research Director at the Center for American Progress and serves as Editor of ThinkProgress.org and The Progress Report.