RNC General Counsel Quits
Reince Priebus, the Republican National Committee's top legal counsel, resigned his position early Sunday morning, The Hotline has learned, a move that will be widely interpreted as a major step toward running for chairman of the organization and a big blow to current chairman Michael Steele.
Priebus, the chairman of the Wisconsin Republican Party, was once Steele's closest ally on the committee. Priebus pushed to elect Steele in 2009, and in the two years since has served as Steele's conduit with committee members.
"In a private letter to Chairman Steele, I did resign today as General Counsel. I appreciated the opportunity to work with all of the members that make the RNC so special," Priebus confirmed in an email to The Hotline.
Priebus spent his term in office running interference for Steele, organizing letters of support for the chairman at crucial moments when other committee members actively considered calling for Steele's resignation. Sources close to Priebus said he had grown increasingly uncomfortable with those duties, and with Steele's time in office. He has been encouraged by other RNC members, including others once close to Steele, to run for national chairman himself.
Priebus has said he is considering a bid, and he is likely to make his decision public some time this week. But quitting his post is a strong indication he is likely to run for chairman, whether or not his one-time ally seeks a second term.
Despite his proximity to Steele, Priebus has maintained good relations with committee members who have opposed the chairman. His strategy, if he takes the final plunge and decides to run for chairman, will be to try to appropriate a coalition of one-time Steele backers along with others in search of a consensus anti-Steele candidate. Already, Priebus counts Illinois Republican Party chairman Pat Brady as a backer; Brady had been a member of Steele's inner circle before urging Priebus to run.
Steele has not said whether he will run for a second term, and last week he skipped a candidate forum put on by a prominent group of conservative RNC members. Many who watch the committee believe between 35 and 50 of the 168 members will back Steele, far short of the 85 he would need to claim an outright majority on the first ballot. An incumbent chairman who does not get a majority on the first ballot rarely picks up votes in later rounds.
Two candidates, former Michigan GOP chairman Saul Anuzis and former RNC co-chair Ann Wagner, have announced they will run for chairman, while former RNC political director Gentry Collins and former Bush administration official Maria Cino have indicated they will formally enter the race in short order. Former RNC chairman Mike Duncan is also a potential candidate.
Priebus's departure is the latest in a long series of exits from the RNC during Steele's tenure. Steele has fired a communications director, a chief of staff, a research director and a finance director, and several former aides have left for other positions.
An RNC spokesperson was not immediately available for comment early Sunday morning.
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