This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Jan. 3, 2011 - Prominent St. Louis Republican Ann Wagner will be on stage in Washington today in what may be her last big chance to sway party leaders to choose her as the next national Republican chairman.
She and other contenders will be featured at a midday forum (noon, St. Louis time) at the National Press Club. The event is co-sponsored by The Daily Caller and Americans for Tax Reform.
The number of candidates dropped by one over the weekend, to five overall, with the withdrawal of Gentry Collins. He is the former RNC political director who was among the first to go public against current RNC chairman Michael Steele. Collins was running last in unofficial counts of the 168 RNC officials who will cast votes later this month to choose the chairman.
Wagner -- seen by pundits to be among the top three contenders -- made some news on her own in recent days with her call to all rivals that, whether they stay or drop out, they shouldn't throw their support to Steele. She has been outspoken in her criticism of Steele, who has been under fire for more than a year for various actions (or lack thereof) and controversial comments.
Wagner received an endorsement late Sunday from Carolyn L. McLarty, the national committeewoman for Oklahoma and among the 168.
According to the National Journal Hotline's latest count, Wagner has 12 for-sure votes, including McLarty. The frontrunner is Wisconsin Republican Party chairman Reince Priebus, with 30 RNC supporters. Steele is in second place, with 15 endorsements.
Wagner has been active in GOP politics for 20 years, most recently as the U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg. She served four years as RNC co-chair, the No. 2 spot. Ironically, her selection (or that of rival Maria Cino) as the new RNC chief could have an impact on the co-chair spot, which must be held by someone of the opposite sex than the person holding the top post. Because the RNC chairman has been a man for decades, the co-chair has traditionally been a woman.
As the publication the Atlantic points out, several women are competing for co-chair. But none of them could be named if Wagner or Cino were elected the new RNC chair.