2011 Republican National Committee chairmanship election explained

The 2011 Republican National Committee (RNC) chairmanship election was held on January 14, 2011, to determine the next chairman of the RNC, to serve a two-year term ending in 2013 and will lead the party through the 2012 general elections. After seven rounds of balloting, Reince Priebus was elected chairman over incumbent chair Michael Steele, Saul Anuzis, Ann Wagner and Maria Cino.^[1]

Priebus won re-election with near unanimity in the party's 2013 meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina.^[2] He was likewise re-elected to a third term in 2015, setting him up to become the longest serving head of the party ever.^[3]

Candidates

• Saul Anuzis, National Chairman for the Save American Jobs Project, former Michigan Republican Party Chairman^[4]
• Maria Cino, Political Director of George Bush's 2000 Campaign^[5]
• Reince Priebus, Chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin^[6]
• Michael Steele, incumbent Committee Chairman, former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland^{[7] [8]}
• Ann Wagner, former United States Ambassador to Luxembourg, former Missouri Republican Party Chairman^[9]

Former candidates who withdrew before voting began

• Gentry Collins, Former Political Director of the RNC,^[10] withdrew on January 2, 2010
• Gary Emineth, Chairman of the North Dakota Republican Party^[11]

Timeline

• December 13, 2010 – Incumbent Chair Steele announces bid for re-election.
• January 3, 2011 – Candidate debate held by Americans for Tax Reform at the National Press Club
• January 14, 2011 – Election held by party voting members in Washington, D.C.

Debates

A debate among the candidates hosted by Americans for Tax Reform took place on January 3, 2011, at the National Press Club.^[12] Anuzis, Cino, Priebus, Steele, and Wagner participated in the debate.^[13]

• Republican Committee Chair Debate, C-SPAN, January 3, 2011, full video

Polling

A poll by the National Journal, released on January 13, 2011, showed Priebus in the lead with 40 committed votes out of 168, Steele 17, Wagner 15, Anuzis 14, and Cino 12.

Results

With 168 voting members of the RNC, 85 votes were required to win the chairmanship.

Candidate	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5	Round 6	Round 7
	45	52	54	58	67	80	97
	24	22	21	24	32	37	43
	32	30	28	29	40	34	28
	23	27	32	28	28	17
	44	37	33	28

Candidate won majority of votes in the round

Candidate secured a plurality of votes in the round

Candidate withdrew

Notes and References

1. Web site: Shear . Michael D. . Voting Begins for RNC Chairman - NYTimes.com . Thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com . December 19, 2010 . January 16, 2011.
2. News: RNC Chairman Reince Priebus Set for Re-Election Bid . Zeke J . Miller . . December 8, 2014 . June 25, 2016 . Priebus was re-elected to his second term with near unanimity in 2013 at the party’s meeting in Charlotte .
3. News: Priebus overwhelmingly elected to third term as RNC chairman . Mark . Preston . . January 16, 2015 . June 25, 2016 . Priebus was elected Friday in a resounding vote to serve a third term as chairman of the Republican National Committee, putting him on course to become the longest serving head of the national party in history. .
4. Web site: It's On: Saul Anuzis Will Challenge Michael Steele for RNC Chairmanship . https://web.archive.org/web/20101113222940/http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/battle-rnc-begins-former-michigan-gop-chairman-will-challenge-michael-steele_516576.html . dead . November 13, 2010 . Weekly Standard . November 12, 2010 . January 16, 2011.
5. Web site: Maria Cino Officially Enters Race For RNC Chair – The Note . Blogs.abcnews.com . December 11, 2010 . January 16, 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304084133/http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2010/12/maria-cino-officially-enters-the-race-for-rnc-chair.html . March 4, 2016 . mdy-all .
6. News: Reince Priebus runs for RNC chairman. Martin, Jonathan. Jonathan Martin (journalist). Politico. December 6, 2010. January 8, 2011.
7. Web site: Choe . Jaywon . What's Next for Michael Steele and the RNC? . . July 7, 2010 . January 16, 2011.
8. Web site: Doug McKelway . Sources Say Steele Will Seek Second Term As RNC Chair . Politics.blogs.foxnews.com . April 7, 2010 . January 16, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101214235650/http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/12/13/sources-say-steele-will-seek-second-term-rnc-chair . December 14, 2010 . dead . mdy-all .
9. Web site: Wagner launches bid for RNC chair . https://web.archive.org/web/20120111165016/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/republican-party/wagner-launches-bid-for-rnc-ch.html . dead . January 11, 2012 . Blake . Aaron . November 29, 2010 . . November 29, 2010.
10. Web site: Smith . Ben . Exit Collins – Ben Smith . . January 2, 2011 . January 16, 2011.
11. Web site: Emineth not seeking national GOP chairmanship, state position gets candidates . Bismarcktribune.com . November 17, 2010 . January 16, 2011.
12. Web site: Brenton . Hannah . Race for RNC chairman remains a 'toss-up' as Steele defends tenure – The Hill's Ballot Box . . January 16, 2011.
13. Web site: Shear . Michael D. . Steele to Debate Rivals for R.N.C. Post - NYTimes.com . Thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com . January 3, 2011 . January 16, 2011.