With Democratic Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes retiring when his term ends next year, GOP leaders believe they have their best chance to win one of Maryland's two Senate seats since Charles Mathias was elected to his final term in 1980.
And they think Steele, the state's first black lieutenant governor, is the strongest candidate they can put up against the Democratic nominee next year.
At the state level, top party officials cleared the field for Steele, promising him as far back as the state convention in May that the nomination was his if he wanted it. State Party Chairman John Kane said at the time he was encouraging Steele to run because "he is our best chance for picking up a U.S. Senate seat."
Steele also was recruited by national Republican leaders, getting personal appeals from elected officials such as Sen. Elizabeth Dole, who heads the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
White House strategist Karl Rove was the headline guest in July at a Capitol Hill event that raised about $75,000 for the lieutenant governor's exploratory committee, which he set up to help him decide whether to seek another term as lieutenant governor with Gov. Robert Ehrlich or run for the Senate.
According to his most recent financial report, Steele had $349,773 cash on hand.
His announcement was to come a day after a poll showed him running nine percentage points behind the current Democratic favorite, U.S. Rep. Ben Cardin, and about even with Kweisi Mfume, a former member of Congress and past head of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Steele was running well ahead of other Democratic candidates -- forensic psychiatrist Lise Van Susteren, American history professor Allan J. Lichtman, philanthropist Joshua Rales and community activist A. Robert Kaufman. Third-party candidate Kevin Zeese also is running.
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