'Twisting themselves in knots': Ex-RNC chair blasts GOP for dooming winnable elections

Back in 2009 and 2010, when he was chairing the Republican National Committee, former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele had his share of policy disagreements with then-President Barack Obama and then-Vice President Joe Biden.

But in 2024, the Never Trump conservative and MSNBC host is a Biden supporter and a vehement critic of the RNC.

In an opinion column published Friday, Steele argues that "unchecked extremism" and "MAGAfication" among MAGA Republicans are causing the GOP to lose elections that it could be winning.

"Political parties have one purpose: winning elections," Steele argues. "Everything they do, from writing platforms to recruiting candidates to raising money, is dedicated to this mission. One less popular but just as vital task is to take stock when they lose so that they can figure out how to win the next time.

“The Republican National Committee has lost sight of this goal, and every day it takes another step farther away from it."

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The former RNC chair continues, "Following in the well-worn path of Republican elected officials, the party's leaders are twisting themselves in knots to appease Donald Trump's lies about the legitimacy of our electoral process."

Steele has made no secret of his view that the RNC's current leadership, including Chairman Michael Whatley and Co-Chair Lara Trump (former President Donald Trump's daughter-in-law and Eric Trump's wife), is dropping the ball when it comes to reaching swing voters. And according to Steele, hiring far-right conspiracy theorist and former One America News anchor Christina Bobb was a terrible decision on the RNC's part.

"This week, Christina Bobb and 10 other Trump allies pleaded not guilty in Arizona's 'fake electors' case," Steele notes. "Bobb just happens to serve as the RNC's senior counsel for 'election integrity.' Someone accused of election crimes is now solely focused on litigating election-related concerns for the Republican Party. You can't make this up."

The ex-RNC chair stresses that election denialism is not a recipe for convincing voters to reject Democratic candidates.

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"Even if today's RNC doesn't care about democracy, you'd think Republican leaders would care about winning elections," Steele argues. "But if, as it appears, they will continue to deny any future losses, then there is no incentive to try to prevent them, either. Any political party must be grounded in reality."

The Never Trump conservative adds, "The only way to win is to honestly reckon with the will of the voters as shown in elections. As of now, the Republican Party is ignoring those voters as it pursues the thoughts and desires of just one man."

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