Live from the RNC: Steele Moves Ahead

The third ballot:

Michael Steele – 51
Mike Duncan – 44
Katon Dawson – 34
Saul Anuzis – 24
Ken Blackwell – 15

Patrick Ruffini’s nightmare of a Dawson-Steele race is looking more and more possible. Lots of eyes on Anuzis, who knows he’s been beaten. But I talked to Morton Blackwell, the Leadership Institute president and Ken Blackwell (no relation) voter from Virginia, and he had “no plan B.” Like a lot of Blackwell supporters, he points out that in the 1997 race the man who came in third (with 17 votes) during the first round won after multiple ballots. Good game face. Ken Blackwell’s people want to stay through five ballots.