Saltsman in final week of RNC campaign

Calls race to lead Republicans nationally 'wide open'

01-26-2009 12:25 PM —

Former Tennessee Republican Party chairman Chip Saltsman told NashvillePost.com today that he is working the phones in advance of this Friday's election of a new Republican National Committee chairman.

Saltsman, along with Michigan GOP state party chair Saul Anuzis, former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, South Carolina GOP state party chair Katon Dawson, and former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele are challenging current RNC chair Mike Duncan to lead the party at the national level.

Reached by phone, Saltsman said he is making a lot of phone calls in advance of this weeks vote in Washington, D.C. Voters in this election are members of the Republican National Committee and state Republican party chairs.

Tennessee Republican Party Chair Robin Smith, along with Tennessee's RNC members John Ryder and Peggy Lambert, announced in December that they were "uncommitted" to any candidate for the post of chairman of their national party. But Smith and Ryder said they will vote for Dawson.

The race for RNC chair had a stranglehold for a short time on the political world when it was revealed that, as part of his Christmas gifts to RNC members, Saltsman had included a CD that contained a song titled "Barack the Magic Negro."

Asked today if that flare-up was an issue RNC voters are still concerned about, Saltsman said, "No, it is not an overriding part of any discussion. They are concerned about organization and the future of the party."

Asked about his chances, Saltsman said, "It's a wide open race and we will be competitive on Friday."

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gphillips@bonelaw.com States:

Posted on 1/26/2009 4:08 pm

Not a prediction of victory, only a prediction he will be "competitive". Either modest or realistis, I guess Friday will tell.

mediclee@comcast.net States:

Posted on 1/27/2009 9:25 am

Chip has a great vision of the party. He sees that in order to become the dominate party again we must get back to grass work. For too long our party has gone to the upper-class elitist and forgotten how the party once achieved greatness during the Reagan years. Chip has the youth and energy to take the party to new heights and RECRUITE fresh people and get away from the status quo that the party has adopted for way to long. Our Tennessee delegates need to rethink the endorsements and back the principles that bucked the national perspective and put Republicans in control in the state of Tennessee. Tennessee is RED and will stay RED for a long time. With that mind frame we need somebody from Tennessee as our RNC. It is not too late to help Chip help the Party.

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