Members Only?
One school of thought about the first ballot is that it indicates the members' preference for one of their own as chairman.
More than half of those who voted cast ballots for the three men who are also committee members: Mike Duncan, Katon Dawson and Saul Anuzis. Their combined total: 102.
That's the chief argument against a surging Michael Steele. That he's not a member, and while people like him, he doesn't have party insider status. That said, we'll see how things shake down in the next round. Does Steele overtake Duncan?
(JENNIFER SKALKA)