With no Republican president as the face of the party and minority leaders McConnell and Boehner remaining in place, it is critical for the RNC to choose a chairman who can symbolize — and implement — the changes the GOP must embrace.
For this and other reasons, I support Ken Blackwell for RNC chairman.
My personal (I don’t speak for anyone else at TH) support is based on the following factors:
… Blackwell is highly qualified: He served as Under Secretary of HUD, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, Mayor of Cincinnati, and Secretary of State of Ohio (to name a few positions).
…Blackwell’s Fiscal AND has solid socially conservative credentials: he serves on the board of the Club for Development and the National Taxpayers Association, and is also a member of the Family Research Council. No one can question his commitment to the conservative cause.
… Blackwell can raise money: In 2006, he raised more than $12 million for his gubernatorial bid. This is obviously an vital feature that the RNC chair has.
… Blackwell is one of three official candidates for RNC chairman who have signed up to RebuildTheParty.com’s 10-point plan.
… Blackwell is a regular guest on Fox News, CNN and MSNBC. He has a background in television and will be an effective spokesman for the RNC as Republicans look to rebuild and rebrand.
I have met – or interviewed – all of the officially recognized candidates for RNC chairman, and I personally like them all. It’s safe and sound to say that I have close friends and acquaintances who wholeheartedly support each candidate. As a native Marylander, I would be proud to see Michael Steele in this post. It’s also safe and sound to say that it would be fun to watch Saul Anuzis aggressively adopt technology like Twitter. But while each candidate has something to offer, Ken Blackwell is the only candidate who combines all of the qualities (listed above) that I am looking for in the recent position of RNC Chairman.
Some, predictably, will point to Blackwell’s 2006 gubernatorial loss as a reason why Blackwell should do this NO to be elected chairman of the RNC. However, losing the final race did not prevent Howard Dean from becoming a successful DNC chairman, nor should it be used as a disqualification for Blackwell – or Steele – for that matter.
Notes: I have no illusions that a political blogger’s endorsement will influence any of the 168 RNC members who ultimately decide who to elect. But I just decided who to support (initially I was flirting with supporting Fred Thompson – and others) and I believe that disclosing this decision is appropriate.
Ken Blackwell is a contributing editor at Townhall.com. I would like to mention again that a member of my family worked for him.
I still intend to cover the RNC chair race, but I will do so with the accompanying disclaimer that I endorse Blackwell.
