Michael Steele earned a place in history in 2003 when he was elected lieutenant governor of Maryland, becoming the first African American elected to statewide office. In 2009, he was elected chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), and set a new direction for the Republican Party by actively engaging Americans in their local communities, and empowering state and local Republican organizations to do the same.
Steel joined MSNBC in 2011 as an expert contributor. He had been a frequent guest on MSNBC, and now appears regularly on discussion panels to offer commentary. An expert on political strategy and election reform, Steele served as chairman of GOPAC, and held posts at the National Federal Election Reform Commission and the NAACP Blue Ribbon Commission on Election Reform.