Steele Has Been Offered RNC Post

Republican officials have confirmed that Michael Steele has been offered the top job at the RNC:

Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman, whose party just lost both chambers of Congress, will leave his position in January, and the post as party chief has been offered to Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele.

"It is true," Mr. Mehlman told The Washington Times when asked about reports last night that he would resign. "It's something I decided over the summer. No one told me I needed to. In fact, folks wanted me to stay."

Mr. Mehlman said he "told the White House over the summer it was my decision" to leave the RNC post, "win, lose or draw."

Also last night, Republican officials told The Times that Mr. Steele, who lost his bid for the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, has been sought out to succeed Mr. Mehlman as national party chairman. Those Republican officials said Mr. Steele had not made a decision whether to take the post, as of last night.

Other Republican Party officials said some Republican National Committee (RNC) members, including state party chairmen, have mounted a move to have Mr. Steele succeed Mr. Mehlman.

However, this concerns me:

But they said that President Bush's political adviser Karl Rove, who is Mr. Mehlman's mentor, would rather see Mr. Steele serve in the president's Cabinet, perhaps as secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

No, no, no! HUD Secretary is one of those cabinet offices, like Labor, that is considered by some to be a "minority" cabinet post, meaning the president (from either party) usually appoints a minority to serve in that position. Steele would be another faceless bureaucrat in the HUD job. The Republican Party needs to get him out front and in a prominent role, and RNC chief would be perfect. I hope they offer it and he takes it. He really has no future in Maryland elective politics due to the overwhelming Dem nature of that state.