Blackwell Withdraws, Backs Steele

And then there were three.

Ken Blackwell, who won 15 votes in the last ballot, has become the second person to pull out of the RNC chairman contest. He endorsed Michael Steele:

"We are about to embark upon a journey together not uncommon to us in our 155 years of existence as a party. We are back on path to become the majority party again. ... In elections there are two ways that you change outcomes. You either change the composition of the electorate or you change the attitude of the electorate. ... I cannot change the composition of this electorate. Nor would I want to. I do want to influence your perspective and your attitude in this moment in history. We must be a party that makes good the promise of Lincoln. We must unleash a new birth of freedom."

More: "Ladies and gentlemen, I withdraw my name, but I put my fullest support behind the candidate that I think will do three things. And I do it out of the fullness of conviction of my good book. I believe that the next chairman must inspire hope ... And must have the leadership ability and vision to first pull us together and then to pull Americans together because we as Republicans understand that great nations don't come from great governments but good people doing great things together."

And this: "I put my fullest support behind Michael Steele."

(JENNIFER SKALKA)