U. S. Congressman, Ed Whitfield, Calls For RNC Chair, Kentucky's Mike Duncan's Ouster. Read The News Story.

Kentuckian could lose top GOP post
After losses, some see a need to oust Duncan
By Joseph Gerthand James R. Carroll

As Kentuckian Robert "Mike" Duncan decides whether to seek another two-year term as chairman of the Republican National Committee, a growing number of Republicans, including one Kentucky congressman, are calling for a change.

"He's a fine fellow and everything, but I think we've got to move in a new direction," said Rep. Ed Whitfield, R-1st District.

Duncan, a banker from Inez, has become a target since the GOP lost the White House and saw its ranks in both the House and Senate shrink to their lowest numbers since the party captured both houses in 1994.

Republicans this year lost 20 seats in the House and six in the Senate, with three races in each chamber still undecided. They now are assured of just 175 seats in the House and 40 in the Senate.

"If you go back and look at all the losses after '74, '76 or '92 … you always have a spirited leadership contest," said Duncan, who has served on the committee since 1992. "This is nothing unusual."

The committee, based in Washington, is the party's administrative arm. It establishes party rules and raises money for candidates.

President Bush tapped Duncan for the chairmanship in 2006 after Republicans lost their majorities in the House and Senate, fueled largely by the president's unpopularity and discontent with the war in Iraq.

As chairman, Duncan has overseen the daily operations of the headquarters and raised money for the party and its candidates.
Seeks members' ideas

He said he will talk to the committee's 168 members before deciding whether to seek another term, and he wouldn't give a time frame for his decision. The election will be in January.

As many as a half-dozen Republicans around the country appear to be considering a bid to replace Duncan, a long-time fundraiser for and ally of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

Published reports have said party leaders in Florida, Mississippi, Michigan and South Carolina want the job. And the Washington Times reported yesterday that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele are jockeying behind the scenes to succeed Duncan.

Gingrich didn't respond to interview requests, and Steele couldn't be reached.

McConnell declined an interview request yesterday. But spokesman Robert Steurer said in a statement, "Senator McConnell believes that Chairman Duncan is an intelligent, experienced man and did an excellent job as RNC Chair this year. He looks forward to working closely with Mike in the months and years ahead as they both work to serve Kentucky and their Party."

Steurer declined to elaborate.

Gail Russell, a Louisville lawyer who serves on the RNC, said she will support Duncan if he chooses to seek another term.

She said she hasn't heard any outcry to replace him, but acknowledged that she probably wouldn't hear from those who want him removed.

"They would know that I'm a supporter of Mike," she said.

Indiana's Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels has received several inquiries about party leadership and direction but declined to comment yesterday on the race for the top party post.

"The governor is not going to weigh in on this," spokeswoman Jane Jankowski said.

Whitfield said a new chairman has been on a lot of people's minds.

"We had a conference call about three months ago. … About 50 people were on it. … John McCain was on there. And someone from Louisville, the first question he asked McCain was, 'When are you going to change the leadership of the RNC?' " Whitfield said.
Really to blame?

Russell said it's unfair to blame this year's Republican losses on Duncan, considering Bush's low approval ratings and the nation's economic problems.

Under Duncan, the party has raised record amounts of money and reached out to more voters than ever, RNC spokesman Chris Taylor said.

"We're now focused on rebuilding the party brand," Taylor said.

But some Republicans believe that the party chairman should take a higher profile than Duncan has -- more like outgoing Democratic Chairman Howard Dean.

"Who's the head of the RNC? Do you know?" Fox News personality Bill O'Reilly asked Diane Sawyer, also a Kentuckian, in a segment on ABC's "Good Morning America" Monday.

"How do we not know that?" Sawyer finally answered.
'Who's in charge?'

"It could be a guy named 'Ziggy,' " O'Reilly replied. "We don't know who it is, there's no leadership. OK? Who's in charge? Does anyone know here?"

Whitfield is in that camp. "I think we need someone who is out there with high visibility … (a leader) easily identified by everyone," he said.

But U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, a 5th District Republican and Duncan supporter, disagrees.

"I don't think the party chairman should be very visible," he said. "The public part of a campaign is the candidate and not the party chairman. The party chairman should be building the party internally, behind the scenes."

At least one national committeeman from Indiana is open to change.

"This is going to be a big job to lead the Republican comeback," said James Bopp Jr., a Terre Haute lawyer who was chosen as vice chairman of the RNC last summer. "I'm keeping my powder dry. We'll see who over the next 30 days emerges."

Reporter Joseph Gerth can be reached at (502) 582-4702. Reporter James R. Carroll can be reached at (202) 906-8141. Reporter Grace Schneider contributed to this story.

Editor's comment: I know Mike Duncan and he is a GREAT guy, and I hate to see him treated this way.