Steele hits on lessons learned from 2006 at Northup fundraiser

Former Lt. Governor Michael Steele (R-Maryland) greets supporters of former U.S. Rep Anne Northup (R-Louisville) on Wednesday: Politicker photo

LOUISVILLE -- GOPAC Chair and former Maryland Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele told around 100 assembled supporters of former U.S. Rep Anne Northup (R-Louisville) that Northup was the victim of circumstance during her 2006 loss to current incumbent U.S. Rep John Yarmuth (D-Louisville).

"It wasn't that her opponent had better ideas, a better vision, a better gameplan," said Steele. "It was that he took advantage of the opportunity to score the political points he needed to score against an incumbent who was running in a very tough cycle with an unpopular war, an unpopular president, and an unpopular party."

"Caught in those crosswinds at that turbulent moment were a lot of good individuals like Anne, who , but for that cycle and but for that ugliness, would have survived the storm," added Steele. "And sometime in politics there isn't enough to survive the storm and you take the hit."

Steele spoke for twenty minutes at a Northup fundraiser yesterday afternoon held at Downtown Louisville's Seelbach Hilton hotel. Attendees paid between $500 to $2,300 for entry to the event.

Steele's remarks largely focused on the 2006 losses by Republicans, when the party lost 30 seats - and its majority - in the U.S. House. Northup's loss of the 3rd Congressional District race to Yarmuth was one of the most contentious battles of that campaign season. This year, Northup is attempting to regain her seat in a rematch.

Like Northup, Steele also suffered a loss in a federal race in 2006, falling short in a bid for a U.S. Senate seat in Maryland. He was forthright about the problems Republicans faced in that cycle and the difficult electoral climate they face this year.

"A lot of Republicans are wagging their tails, moaning and crying," said Steele. "Get over it. We lost."

"Do you know why we lost?" continued Steele. "We lost because we gave up on the American people. We went to Washington in 1994 and absolutely lost our minds."

Steele said the loss was attributable to the Republicans failure to meet the promised provisions of the Republican Party's "Contract with America," presented as a policy platform when they assumed a majority in Congress in 1994.

"When you form a contract with the people of this country - as we did in 1994 - in which we swore, affirmed, declared and signed on the dotted line that we would be good fiscal stewards of their hard earned dollars...and then over the course of 12 years, go against that contract, why are we surprised then when people say "we are done with that"? Why do we act shocked?," asked Steele.

During his speech, Steele said 2008 presented new opportunities for candidates like Northup.

"The reality of it is we were given an opportunity, we lost that opportunity, and now it is being given back to us again," said Steele. "That's what I see in Anne's candidacy that I find exciting and hopeful: that there are leaders in our party who have not given up who after the shellacking we took two years ago are prepared to go back into the fray."

"What you look for is when you have the wind taken out of your sails, when everything you work for and strive for is upended - how do you respond? Do you take the lessons from that experience and turn it around and find a way that you can continue to give back?" added Steele. "Anne lost a race she should not have lost. She has continued to fight, she has continued to be an advocate... She hasn't stopped - that's the sign of a leader."

Steele currently chairs the political action committee GOPAC, a Republican organization focused on training state and local candidates. He concluded by noting he remained hopeful about Northup's chances in the 3rd District this time around.

"I don't think the people of this district have forgotten Anne Northup," Steele said.

Wednesday's lunch-hour fundraiser is expected to be the first with a national Republican speaker at the helm during Northup's campaign, though no other events have been announced at this time.

Yarmuth has his own high-profile fundraising help coming into town this weekend, as he will hold a fundraiser in downtown Louisville at the 21 C Museum Hotel with U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).