Reince Priebus: RNC Chairman

Congratulations, Reince Priebus, former chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin!

Priebus is taking his talents and tremendous history of success in Wisconsin, and moving on to serve as chairman of the national GOP.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Fresh off a sweeping victory in the fall elections, Wisconsin GOP chairman Reince Priebus on Friday won the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee.

With 85 votes - a majority of the 168-member RNC - needed for victory, Preibus broke through with 97 votes in the seventh round of balloting. Michigan GOP committeeman Saul Anuzis had 43 votes; former Bush Administration official Maria Cino had 28.

"I am so blessed," said Priebus, who is from Kenosha.

"Now is the time for the committee to unite," he said. "We must come together for the common interests, for the betterment of our party, and the betterment of our country."

Controversial chairman Michael Steele, who defended his tenure by pointing to a broad GOP comeback in the most recent elections, never led in the voting and dropped out after four rounds. He asked his followers to swing their votes to Cino, an effort that failed. Former RNC co-chair Ann Wagner of Missouri never made a significant dent in the vote totals, and dropped out after six rounds. She did not specify a candidate for her followers to back.

The voting took place at the RNC's winter meeting Friday at National Harbor, a hotel and meeting complex just south of Washington, D.C., in Oxon Hill, Md.

Steele received a standing ovation after his withdrawal speech.

"I hope you all appreciate the legacy we leave," he said. "Despite the noise - Lord knows we've had a lot of noise - despite the difficulties, we won" in 2010.

Steele also urged RNC members to resolve their internal disagreements.

"We've been through some big storms and some small storms but this storm you cannot allow to continue," he said, adding melodramatically, "And now I exit, stage right."

We don't need storms. We need election victories to get the country back on the right track.

Steele is right. Republicans won in 2010. He can and should be proud of that, but I do think it was time for change.

Reince Priebus did a phenomenal job in Wisconsin in 2010.

If he can do for the country in 2012 what he did for Wisconsin in the mid-term elections, America will be better for it.

With gratitude for all his accomplishments in Wisconsin, I wish Reince Priebus great success in his new position.

FORWARD!