Oregon Public Broadcasting

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele  says Oregon has a role to play in the rebuilding of the national party. As April Baer reports, Steele was in Portland Thursday night for a GOP fundraiser.

Michael Steele dismissed questions about his effectiveness as a leader. He's tangled with Rush Limbaugh recently, and had to defend his conservative credentials on abortion after an interview with GQ Magazine.

But in Portland he said he's focused on positioning the Republican Party to win elections. And to do that, he says, he needs reliable local farm-teams developed for the long haul.

Michael Steele: "I keep telling folks in the party, 'Don't think -- come 2010 -- all of a sudden we're going to get back every seat we lost in Congress and the Senate'. There are 36 governorships that are up in 2010. We're probably going to have some more retirements probably in the House and the Senate. That's why I need a strong state party."

Steele promised technical and financial support for states that can show a solid plan for midterm elections.

More from Michael Steele's news conference

Thursday, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele visited Oregon. Here are some excerpts from his news conference. We include transcriptions of questions he answered, since the audio was inaudible.

1. Steele discussed at length his hope that Oregon will be one of several states offering a viable Republican candidate for Governor in 2010. For some years, Republican primary voters have selected conservative candidates whose campaigns tend to founder in the more moderate general electorate. To some extent, this is the same problems Steele's dealing with at the national level.

I asked Steele how he hoped to deal with the divide between the conservative Republican base and more moderate voters.  His response.

2.   Steele was asked about a comment Senator Arlen Spector made to a Pennsylvania radio show this week.

The quote, in part (you can read full context here ) goes like this: "National Chairman Steele, well he’s said so many contradictory things I wouldn’t pay a whole lot of attention to him."

So, Steele was asked, if a senior Senator like Arlen Spector isn't paying a lot of attention to you, why should Oregonians?  His response.

3.    In an interview with GQ magazine Steele said he is and always will be pro choice, but that abortion is an individual choice.

A reporter asked how Steele reconciles these points of view? His response.