Tuesday Must-Reads: Steele Reboot

Michael Steele, with a speech at an RNC gathering today and a Politico op-ed, tries to focus on the future, re-booting the party and his RNC chairmanship. In the op-ed he focuses on three things: being forward-looking, holding the president accountable and building on grassroots efforts in local communities. But a new poll has bad news for the party: The number of Republicans in a wide range of demographics—essentially all of the demographics up for grabs between the parties—has declined sharply. Politico breaks an interesting story about a suggested alliance between the Palins and the Clintons, pushed by a one-time Palin advisor who encouraged the governor to help pay off Clinton’s campaign debts. And in the world of the permanant campaign:

The Virginia gubernatorial primary is getting closer; here’s a nice run-down of some of the recent gritty details of the campaigning. The NRCC is rolling out a new program for vulnerable incumbents. Called the Patriot Program, it will emphasize accountability and push candidates to work hard at fundraising. Sen. Chris Dodd has another primary challenger, this time from an Air Force veteran and former Al Gore aide. Harry Reid, who faces some unhappy numbers in recent polls, is holding a star-studded Vegas fundraiser next week. Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum (R) is running for governor. Huntsman’s departure to China means a special gubernatorial election for Utah in ’10. Here’s a look at some of the potential candidates.