Michael Steele

American politician (born 1958)

Michael Steele, the first African-American to serve as lieutenant governor of Maryland and chair of the Republican National Committee, had a diverse career in law, politics, and media. He’s known for his leadership roles, political commentary, and recent endorsement of Joe Biden for president.

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About the Michael Steele

Michael Stephen Steeleis an American politician, attorney, and political commentator who served as the seventh lieutenant governor of Maryland from 2003 to 2007 and as chair of the Republican National Committeefrom 2009 until 2011; he was the first African-American to hold either office.

In the 1990s, Steele worked as a partner at the international law firm of LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae and co-founded the Republican Leadership Council, a “fiscally conservative and socially inclusive” political action committee. Steele also made numerous appearances as a political pundit on Fox News and other media outlets prior to running for public office. As lieutenant governor, Steele chaired the Minority Business Enterprise task force, actively promoting an expansion of affirmative action in the corporate world. He made an unsuccessful run in the 2006 U.S. Senate election in Maryland, losing to Democrat Ben Cardin. From 2007 to 2009, Steele was chairman of GOPAC, a 527 organization that trains and supports Republican candidates in state and local elections. After serving one term as RNC Chair from 2009 to 2011, he lost his bid for a second term and was succeeded by Reince Priebus. Since 2011, Steele has contributed as a regular columnist for online magazine The Root and as a political analyst for MSNBC. In 2018, he became a Senior Fellow at Brown University’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs.

In 2020, he formally endorsed Joe Biden for the presidency, after previously starring in an advertisement aired by The Lincoln Project.

Frequently Asked Questions

Michael Steele served as the lieutenant governor of Maryland from 2003 to 2007 and as the chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC) from 2009 to 2011. He was the first African-American to hold either of those offices.

Before entering politics, Michael Steele worked as a partner at the international law firm of LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae, and co-founded the Republican Leadership Council, a political action committee.

Since leaving his RNC chairmanship in 2011, Michael Steele has contributed as a regular columnist for The Root, a political analyst for MSNBC, and a Senior Fellow at Brown University’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs.

Michael Steele made an unsuccessful run for the U.S. Senate in Maryland in 2006, losing to Democrat Ben Cardin.

In 2020, Michael Steele formally endorsed Joe Biden for the presidency, after previously starring in an advertisement aired by The Lincoln Project, a conservative group opposed to former President Trump.

10 Quotes by Michael Steele

  1. 1.

    In order to achieve optimal economic growth, Congress must adhere to sane spending guidelines while promoting smart policies devoted to growing businesses and creating jobs.

    Michael Steele

    American politician (born 1958)

  2. 2.

    We need to increase access to health insurance through Health Savings Accounts and high deductible policies, so individuals and families can purchase the insurance that’s best for them and meets their specific needs.

    Michael Steele

    American politician (born 1958)

  3. 3.

    Secure our borders first. Let us know and let us make sure the American people know that we’re taking care of the important business of dealing with the illegal immigration into this country. You cannot begin to address the concerns of the people who are already here unless and until you have made certain that no more are coming in behind them.

    Michael Steele

    American politician (born 1958)

  4. 4.

    At the end of the day, I have one job requirement right now that’s been given to me by the Republican Party and, I think, the American people, and that’s to fire Nancy Pelosi.

    Michael Steele

    American politician (born 1958)

  5. 5.

    You can have all the gun control laws in the country, but if you don’t enforce them, people are going to find a way to protect themselves. We need to recognize that bad people are doing bad things with these weapons. It’s not the law-abiding citizens, it’s not the person who uses it as a hobby.

    Michael Steele

    American politician (born 1958)

  6. 6.

    We have a lot to gain through furthering stem cell research, but medical breakthroughs should be fundamentally about saving, not destroying, human life. Therefore, I support stem cell research that does not destroy the embryo.

    Michael Steele

    American politician (born 1958)

  7. 7.

    We are cooling. We are not warming. The warming you see out there, the supposed warming, and I use my finger quotation marks here, is part of the cooling process.

    Michael Steele

    American politician (born 1958)

  8. 8.

    Congress must also enact pro-growth policies that encourage the economy to expand: like making tax relief permanent and repealing the death tax.

    Michael Steele

    American politician (born 1958)

  9. 9.

    There is no struggle, rift, fight between those who claim the banner of the tea party and those who are in the Republican Party. We work together.

    Michael Steele

    American politician (born 1958)

  10. 10.

    Up until, really, Roosevelt, African-Americans largely voted ninety per cent Republican. That was the political origins, that’s what their political voice was in the Republican party. During that history, that last sixty or seventy years of history, the Republican party effectively walked away from the community. They were afraid to really embrace civil rights even though they embraced civil rights legislation. And so it’s not enough to just to put it on paper, you gotta actually show up and be in the community, and understand what that struggle was really about.

    Michael Steele

    American politician (born 1958)