Coleman Skips Out On National RNC Meeting

Former Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman, who’s reportedly been pondering a challenge to Michael Steele as chair of the Republican National Committee, has canceled plans to attend this week’s four-day RNC confab in Kansas City. Coleman was scheduled to be at the event, but changed plans without much explanation. “His decision to stay away from the meeting could be a sign that Coleman is trying to tamp down chatter about a possible challenge to chairman Michael Steele, after his early jockeying irked some RNC members,” CNN reports.

Late last month, Politico reported that high-ranking Republicans “are buzzing about the prospect of a Chairman Coleman.” It’s not the first time the notion has been bandied about: in January 2009, after losing to Al Franken (D-Minn.) in the protracted Senate election, recount and contest, Coleman’s name came up as a potential for the top RNC job.

While Rep. Michele Bachmann (D-Minn.) addressed CPAC 2009 audiences enthusing, “Michael Steele, you be da man,” a series of scandals in the RNC, gaffes by Steele and lagging fundraising by the organization suggest that, to some GOPers at least, that may not still be the case. But as Marc Ambinder states, chaos within the RNC — which undoubtedly a change at the group’s top slot would qualify as — could harm Republicans chances of winning a majority in the House of Representatives this fall. Perhaps that’s reason enough for Coleman to bag his trip to Kansas City?