Steele: My 'biggest fear' is redistricting

By Danny Reiter , PolitickerMD.com Reporter

November 18, 2008

SAVAGE -- Former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (R-Prince George's County) continued his campaign to lead the Republican Party, saying Monday his worst fear would be giving Democrats an upper-hand on redistricting in 2010.

"It's my biggest fear. It's the fourth part of their ultimate strategy," Steele told PolitickerMD.com , following a fundraiser for the state's Senate Republican caucus at Savage Mill. "Take back the House, take back the Senate, grab the White House and the way you lock it -- they talk about a permanent majority -- the way they lock that in is by drawing lines in which you start having Republicans knock each other off and the seats have been open to the Democrats."

Steele, who is currently running for the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee, suggested the scenario could mean a powerful and long lasting blow to the GOP.

"It's gonna be at least 10 years until they redraw the lines again," Steele said. "We've got to be mindful of that. We've got to have a strategy to deal with that, and we've got to be prepared to do as I did in 2000, to sue when the lines are drawn disproportionately or are misrepresenting the people of the state."

Steele said Barack Obama has changed the country's political landscape, "And this party had better learn how to adapt to that and be prepared to fight on that new landscape," he said. Steele did not rule out a run for governor in 2010 if a majority of the 168 members of the RNC don't give him the thumbs up.

"My focus right now is on this chairmanship race," Steele said. "If the party's not strong it doesn't help any candidate running for office down the road."

Steele was confident that he's the man for the job. "I think what makes me the best qualified is that I bring a level of diversity -- and I don't mean race -- to the table ... I've won races and I've lost more than I can think about," Steele said, adding he had the background and experience for the job.

Steele currently serves as chair of GOPAC - an organization which acts as an education and training center for Republican candidates and activists. Before serving a term as Maryland's lieutenant governor, Steele chaired the Republican's State Central Committee from 2000 to 2002 and the Prince George's County Republican Central Committee from 1994 to 2000.

"I've done it," Steele said of the chairman's responsibilities. "It's a very important opportunity leading into 2010 to put in place a good ground game, to start building and cultivating a strong farm team and having something to say to people of Maryland and the people of America."

Steele said the farm team needs to look and sound like Americans. "It needs to be Hispanic, it's white, it's black, it's young, it's old," Steele said. "You never lever lose sight of the people when you're working from the ground up. You never lose their voice; you never lose sight of what they need. That's why the grassroots is so important. I think our party has gotten more fixated on top down theory than bottom up theory."

DANNY REITER is a PolitickerMD.com Reporter and can be reached via email at Daniel.reiter@politicker.com .