Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, whose remarks suggesting the U.S. will lose the war in Afghanistan have prompted some Republicans to demand his resignation, won praise from Representative Ron Paul. “Michael Steele should not resign,” Paul, a Texas Republican and former Libertarian Party presidential candidate, said today in a statement. “Michael Steele has it right and Republicans should stick by him.”
Speaking at a Republican fundraising event in Connecticut on July 1, Steele said the conflict in Afghanistan “was a war of Obama’s choosing” and “is not something that the United States has actively prosecuted or wanted to engage in.” Since then, several prominent conservative leaders have called for his resignation.
With nationwide unemployment at 9.5 percent in June, Republicans are trying to regain control of Congress from Democrats in November’s midterm elections. They are contending with intra-party challenges from candidates supported by Tea Party activists who promote limited government.
