National Harbor, MD - Wisconsin wunderkind state chair and Michael Steele critic elected RNC chairman on the seventh ballot, with 97 votes, well ahead of the 85 votes needed. Like Speaker Boehner, he wields a wacky giant gavel!

 “I wanna thank god, I wanna thank Jesus for this moment. I am so blessed.” (Is this a preview of what will come out of the devout chairman-elect’s mouth every time he opens it?  Or, will it just be to Republican base audiences? Will this turn off secular fiscal conservatives?

Priebus name drops the late Rep. Henry Hyde (R-IL) and veteran Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI), “and that tells you something about me.” Well, he did tell us he palled around with them at a Lincoln Day Dinner in Wisconsin. The mention of the anti-abortion crusader Hyde may be a signal, meant to reinforce his pro-life credentials.
Preibus makes sure he mentions his up and coming homestate Rep. Paul Ryan, whose budget cutting agenda is making waves in conservative circles. Priebus must figure that Ryan is popular with the RNC, too.
 
First applause line comes from Preibus’ vow to build RNC infrastructure to help “defeat Barack Obama” in 2012.
 
Sixth ballot:
 
Priebus 97
Anuzis 43
Cino 28