国际英语新闻：RNC elects first African American chairman, puts new face on top

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Republican National Committee (RNC) on Friday elected former Maryland Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele as the first African American to lead the national organization of the Republican Party.

    Steele beat Katon Dawson, the South Carolina Republican committee chairman, to claim the title in the sixth round of balloting, U.S. TV networks reported.

    He won with 91 votes, passing the threshold of the simple majority of 85 votes from the 168-member committee to secure his victory.

    "As a little boy growing up in this town, this is awesome," said Steele, who was born in Maryland and grew up in Washington D.C..

    He vowed to reunite and revive the unpopular party in his acceptance speech. "This is our opportunity. I cannot do this by myself," said Steele.

    "We're going to say to friend and foe alike: We want you to be part of us, we want you to be with us, and for those who wish to obstruct, get ready to get knocked over," he noted.

    Five candidates vied for the chairmanship but three of them, including the incumbent chairman Mike Duncan dropped out of the race earlier, leaving a face-off between Steele and Dawson.

    Steele, the most moderate of the five, beat Dawson 91 to 77 in the final round.

    With Republicans out of the White House and in the minority in both chambers of the Congress for the first time since 1994, the new chairman will have an enormous task to make big changes to revitalize the beleaguered party.

    "It's time for something completely different and we are going to bring it to them," Steele said after his victory.

    Analysts said by picking Steele, the party seemed to be acknowledging the need for new -- and different -- faces at the top.

    What kind of change Steele could bring to the GOP, however, is a complicated issue. Some Republicans want him to win back disaffected voters, while others are convinced that the party must stress basic conservative principles like small government and lower taxes.

    Steele, at the age of 50 and charismatic, will help to change the impression of the GOP as "Whites-only club," but he will have to show some real fundraising ability, which is vital for the Republicans to facilitate a comeback in the 2010 midterm elections.

    Steele, born on Oct. 19, 1958, was elected Maryland Republican committee chairman in 2000, the first African American in any state-level Republican committee.

    He served as lieutenant governor of Maryland between 2003 and 2007. In 2006, Steele ran for a U.S. Senate seat but failed.