RedState Backs Blackwell and Duncan for RNC Chair

RedState, one of the leading conservative blogs, is getting behind Ken Blackwell for Republican National Committee chairman.

But if Blackwell, the former Ohio Secretary of State and a favored candidate of the right, doesn’t win, the blog wants current chairman Mike Duncan to remain.

“Make no mistake, with Ken Blackwell as Chairman of the RNC there will never, so long as he is there, be another Lincoln Chafee primary defense,” RedState’s directors wrote Monday. “Ken Blackwell is fundamentally a conservative first and knows the party grassroots extremely well.”

But the endorsement also noted that Blackwell might not be able to win over most of the RNC’s 168 members, who will decide on the chairman later this month.

“The 168 members have a majority who are not, perhaps, as committed to conservatism as Ken Blackwell, and Blackwell is not without his enemies from his years in Ohio politics,” the endorsement read. “We believe strongly that should Ken Blackwell not have enough votes to be RNC Chairman on the first ballot, Mike Duncan deserves the votes on the second ballot.”

The blog said that the GOP’s woes in recent elections weren’t the fault of Duncan, whose main role has been bolstering President Bush. The blog added that despite GOP troubles, Duncan has been an excellent fundraiser.

“We are also mindful Mike Duncan has not really had a chance to stretch his legs and fully deploy his RNC team, given the dynamics of a Presidential campaign year,” the endorsement read.