Steele’s conservative challenge

OpEd from the D.C. Times:

Following two consecutive national election losses, the Republican Party has been in disarray. President Barack Obama’s victory and the Democrat seizure of both houses of Congress in November were as much a stinging indictment of the GOP as an endorsement of the campaigns of its opponents (as well-oiled as the latter were). Yet with the election of former Maryland lieutenant governor and GOPAC leader Michael Steele as chairman of the Republican National Committee on Friday, anemic conservatives will get new blood….

He has already reassured the base that he will be true to them, spending much of the weekend reaching out – and in many cases assuaging – leading GOP fiscal and social conservatives, as reported by the Times’ Ralph Hallow. Mr. Steele, who trained for three years to be a Catholic priest before becoming a lawyer, understands the value – and beauty – of the traditional family. He is also firmly pro-life, even tough he is willing to broaden the GOP tent to accommodate pro-choicers.

Solidifying the base in itself does little or nothing to expand it, and if done by a dolt would only cause the GOP to be a perpetual minority. Mr. Steele is visionary enough, and smart enough, to know he must expand the “brand” to attract the broad middle. He has said repeatedly that the main failure of the GOP has not been its ideals, but its leadership, which “behaved like Democrats” and embraced big-government policies. He is first and foremost calling for a return to the pro-family, fiscal conservatism that was the bedrock of the Reagan Revolution.

The Chief thinks that this is nothing but a good move…at least from the perspective of non-country club portions of the GOP.

Now, all we need to find is someone of equal potential for the South Dakota party.