Wednesday’s State Roundup in Maryland Reporter.com summarized a Baltimore Sun article: “Split in Maryland Gop continues as leaders seek to rebuild.”
Normally I enjoy reading this compilation of news for and about Maryland but this morning I almost choked on my eggs as I read that “Former Republican Lt. Gov. Michael Steele’s absence from the Oct. 12 ‘Salute to Gov. Bob Ehrlich’ fundraiser underscores issues facing a party eager to move forward — largely by emphasizing fundraising and grassroots organizing — but yet to reconcile with former stalwarts such as Steele and conservative commentator Linda Chavez, who feel estranged because party leaders continue to embrace the polarizing figure of former President Donald Trump.”
I am going to leave Linda Chavez out of my response since I and most Republicans are not familiar with her activities on behalf of the Republican Party in Maryland. But I am familiar with Michael Steels track record as a “Republican” both in Maryland and on the national scene.
When Steele ran for U.S. Senate in 2006, I was fore square behind his candidacy, and I certainly supported his chairmanship of the Republican National Committee between 2009 and 2011. As far as I was concerned he was a true conservative and a Republican that deserved my political support.
Now I honestly do not know what happen all those many years ago or how badly Steele needed to work but shortly after leaving the chairmanship he started to appear as a token Republican political commentator on leftist MSNBC. I have to conclude that he had a successful run on MSNBC, but in the interest of full disclosure I would rather have herpes than watch MSNBC.
My line in the sand was crossed when on August 2020 CNN announced that Michael Steele joined the thoroughly repulsive “Lincoln Project.” As CNN reported that day: “Former chairman of the Republican National Committee Michael Steele is joining the Lincoln Project, a group of Republicans working to prevent President Donald Trump’s re-election.”
I get it. Steele did not like Trump but to join with a disgusting and reprehensible group of turncoat political operatives was just too much. The Lincoln Project has been responsible for some of the most disgusting anti-Trump ads to ever be run on television in Prime Time. I am sure that I will be told that it is their First Amendment right to do this and I would not argue otherwise – but I also have the right to reject it. And in rejecting the leadership of the Lincoln Project so do I and many other Marylanders reject Steele’s association with this renegade group.
He did not return to Maryland to help other candidates try to change the state legislature or work with the state GOP or try to support Gov. Larry Hogan’s agenda across the state. He did not seek higher public office. No, his efforts laid with the despicable Lincoln Project, not given a fig for conservative Marylanders – leaving us to twist in the wind. Perhaps Michael Steele needs a long hard look in the mirror to try and understand why the “Old Line” State is not so enthusiastic about his return to Maryland politics.
