Career Timeline of Michael Steele: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Michael Steele made an impact.

Michael Steele is an American politician, attorney, and political commentator. He notably served as the seventh Lieutenant Governor of Maryland from 2003 to 2007. He also held the position of Chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC) from 2009 to 2011. Steele is notable for being the first African-American to hold both of these offices.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Controversies & Scandals

1991: Joins Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton

In 1991, Michael Steele began working in Washington, D.C., as a corporate securities associate for the Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton international law firm, specializing in financial investments for Wall Street underwriters, marking a significant step in his legal career.

1991: Graduation from Georgetown Law School

In 1991, Michael Steele graduated with a JD degree from Georgetown Law School. He later passed the Pennsylvania bar exam after initially failing the Maryland bar exam.

1993: Co-founded Republican Leadership Council

In 1993, Michael Steele co-founded the Republican Leadership Council, described as a fiscally conservative and socially inclusive political action committee. He would later leave the council in 2008.

1996: Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention

In 1996, Michael Steele served as an alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention, marking his involvement in national politics.

1997: Founds the Steele Group

In 1997, Michael Steele left Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton to establish The Steele Group, a business and legal consulting firm, marking his move into entrepreneurship.

December 2000: Elected Chairman of Maryland Republican Party

In December 2000, Michael Steele was elected chairman of the Maryland Republican Party, becoming the first African-American to hold such a position in any state Republican Party.

2000: Delegate to Republican National Convention

In 2000, Michael Steele was a delegate to the Republican National Convention, further cementing his role within the Republican Party.

November 2002: Ehrlich-Steele Ticket Wins Maryland Gubernatorial Election

In November 2002, the Republican Ehrlich-Steele ticket won the Maryland general election with 51% of the vote, defeating the Townsend-Larson campaign. Maryland had not elected a Republican Governor in almost 40 years.

2002: Selected as Robert Ehrlich's Running Mate

In 2002, Michael Steele was selected as the running mate for Robert Ehrlich, who was running for Maryland governor. They ran against Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and Charles R. Larson.

2003: Becomes Lieutenant Governor of Maryland

In 2003, Michael Steele began his service as the seventh lieutenant governor of Maryland, marking a significant milestone in his political career.

2004: Gives Republican Counterpoint to Obama's DNC Address

In 2004, Michael Steele gave the Republican counterpoint to Barack Obama's Democratic National Convention keynote address, gaining his first major national exposure.

March 2005: Considered for U.S. Senate Run

In March 2005, following Paul Sarbanes' announcement of not seeking re-election, Republican officials urged Michael Steele to run for the U.S. Senate seat in Maryland.

April 2005: Appointed to U.S. Delegation for Pope Benedict XVI Investiture

In April 2005, President George W. Bush chose Michael Steele to be a member of the U.S. delegation at the investiture of Pope Benedict XVI in Vatican City.

April 2005: Polls Show Tight Race in Potential Senate Run

In April 2005, a poll conducted by The Baltimore Sun indicated that Michael Steele could have a statistically neck and neck race against potential Democratic opponents in a U.S. Senate election.

October 25, 2005: Announces Candidacy for U.S. Senate

On October 25, 2005, Michael Steele formally announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat in Maryland, setting the stage for the 2006 election.

2005: Named Aspen Institute Rodel Fellow

In 2005, Michael Steele was named an Aspen Institute Rodel Fellow in Public Leadership and was awarded the Bethune-DuBois Institute Award for efforts to improve education in Maryland.

February 2006: Compared embryonic stem cell research to Nazi experiments

In February 2006, Steele compared embryonic stem cell research to medical experiments performed by the Nazis during the Holocaust, remarks for which he later apologized.

November 7, 2006: Loses Senate Election to Ben Cardin

On November 7, 2006, Michael Steele lost the general election for U.S. Senate to Ben Cardin, receiving 44% of the vote to Cardin's 54%. Allegations of campaign finance improprieties later surfaced, which Steele denied.

2006: Opposed setting a timetable for U.S. withdrawal from Iraq

During his 2006 campaign, Steele opposed setting a timetable for U.S. withdrawal from Iraq.

2006: Unsuccessful Senate Run

In 2006, Michael Steele made an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate election in Maryland, losing to Democrat Ben Cardin.

2006: Commented on gun control

In a 2006 interview with The Washington Post, Steele commented on gun control, questioning the need for assault weapons for hunting and emphasizing the importance of enforcing existing gun laws.

January 23, 2007: Appearance on The Colbert Report

On January 23, 2007, Michael Steele appeared on Comedy Central's talk show, The Colbert Report, marking his presence in popular media.

Loading Video...

February 2007: Becomes Chairman of GOPAC

In February 2007, Michael Steele became chairman of GOPAC, a political action committee focused on funding state and local Republican campaigns and training future Republican candidates.

April 2007: Joins Dewey & LeBoeuf Law Firm

In April 2007, Michael Steele joined the international law firm of Dewey & LeBoeuf as a partner in the firm's Washington, D.C. office.

September 27, 2007: Hosts PBS Republican Primary Debate

On September 27, 2007, Michael Steele hosted a PBS Republican Primary debate in Baltimore, Maryland, showcasing his role in political discourse.

2007: End of Term as Lieutenant Governor of Maryland

In 2007, Michael Steele concluded his term as the seventh lieutenant governor of Maryland, marking the end of his service in that office.

2007: Speech at the Media Research Center's DisHonors Awards Gala

In 2007, Michael Steele delivered a speech at the Media Research Center's DisHonors Awards Gala, where he shared his perspectives on media and politics.

November 24, 2008: Launches Campaign for RNC Chairmanship

On November 24, 2008, Michael Steele initiated his campaign for the RNC chairmanship by launching his website, signaling his ambition for a leadership role in the Republican Party.

2008: Coins "Drill Baby Drill" phrase

During the 2008 Republican National Convention in Minnesota, Michael Steele coined the phrase "Drill Baby Drill" while promoting offshore drilling as an alternative to dependency on foreign oil, marking a memorable moment in his political communication.

2008: Leaves Republican Leadership Council

In 2008, Michael Steele left the Republican Leadership Council, which he co-founded in 1993, citing disagreements over endorsing primary candidates.

2008: Comments on Steele's Afghanistan statement

In 2008, Steele's comments drew criticism, with neoconservative commentator William Kristol calling for Steele's resignation and former George W. Bush adviser Karl Rove calling Steele's comment "boneheaded."

January 30, 2009: Wins RNC Chairmanship

On January 30, 2009, Michael Steele won the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee (RNC) in the sixth round of voting. As the RNC's first African American chairman, he was seen as a potential counter to President Obama.

March 2, 2009: Controversy with Rush Limbaugh

On March 2, 2009, a controversy arose when Rush Limbaugh criticized Michael Steele's fitness to lead the Republican Party after Steele's remarks on CNN's D.L. Hughley Breaks the News. Steele apologized to Limbaugh, acknowledging him as a national conservative leader.

March 2009: Suggested abortion restrictions should be left to state governments

In March 2009, Steele suggested that abortion restrictions should be left to state governments, and stated that he "absolutely" believed there was room for a "pro-choice" candidate in the GOP. This statement prompted criticism from socially conservative Republicans.

2009: Criticized the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

In 2009, Steele criticized the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (stimulus bill).

2009: Called for securing the U.S. borders

In 2009, speaking on illegal immigration, Steele called for the U.S. to "secure our borders first", saying that the concerns of people already in the country cannot be addressed until the borders are secured.

January 4, 2010: Release of "Right Now: A 12-Step Program for Defeating the Obama Agenda"

On January 4, 2010, Steele's book, Right Now: A 12-Step Program for Defeating the Obama Agenda, was released. The Associated Press reported that the book focused on familiar GOP denunciations of President Barack Obama's policies.

Right Now: A 12-Step Program For Defeating The Obama Agenda

Check it on Amazon

July 2010: Stated Afghan war was "a war of Obama's choosing"

In July 2010, video footage of Steele was released in which he stated that the Afghan war was "a war of Obama's choosing".

November 2010: Republicans Win Big in Midterm Elections

In November 2010, during Michael Steele's tenure as RNC chair, the Republicans achieved significant gains in the midterm elections, winning 63 House seats (the biggest pickup since 1938) and retaking control of the House. They also gained six Senate seats, seven governorships, and control of many state legislative seats.

December 2010: Announces Re-election Bid for RNC Chairman

In December 2010, Michael Steele announced his intention to run for re-election as RNC chairman, setting the stage for the 2011 election.

2010: "Fire Pelosi Bus Tour" Launched

In the fall of 2010, Michael Steele launched the "Fire Pelosi Bus Tour" to unseat Speaker Pelosi. The tour visited 48 states and over 100 cities in six weeks, encouraging votes for Republicans in districts across the nation.

January 14, 2011: Loses RNC Chairmanship Election

On January 14, 2011, Michael Steele lost the Republican National Committee (RNC) chairmanship election after withdrawing from the race on the fourth ballot. Reince Priebus was elected as his successor after seven rounds of balloting.

May 2011: Joins MSNBC and The Root

In May 2011, Michael Steele was hired by MSNBC as a political analyst and also became a columnist for the online magazine The Root, an African-American news and commentary site owned by The Washington Post Company, marking his transition into media.

2011: End of Term as RNC Chair

In 2011, Michael Steele concluded his term as the Chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC), marking the end of his leadership role in the party.

2012: Interest in running for RNC Chairman again

In 2012, following Obama's reelection victory, Steele expressed interest in running for RNC Chairman again on C-SPAN's Washington Journal, emphasizing the need to welcome conservative minorities into the Republican party.

2016: Criticized Donald Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign

In 2016, Steele was openly critical of Donald Trump during his presidential campaign and has continued to oppose President Trump during his subsequent administration.

January 2018: Called President Trump "racist"

In January 2018, in response to an accusation that President Trump had referred to El Salvador and Haiti as "shithole countries", Steele expressed his belief that the President was "racist" during an interview on MSNBC.

2018: Senior Fellow at Brown University's Watson Institute

In 2018, Michael Steele became a Senior Fellow at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, furthering his involvement in academic and public policy circles.

2018: Named Faculty Fellow at Brown University

In 2018, Steele was named a faculty fellow at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, where he leads seminars.

August 2020: Joined Lincoln Project and endorsed Joe Biden

In August 2020, Steele joined the Lincoln Project PAC and endorsed Joe Biden for president.

2020: Endorses Joe Biden for President

In 2020, Michael Steele formally endorsed Joe Biden for the presidency after appearing in an advertisement by The Lincoln Project, a notable move indicating a shift in political alignment.

April 2021: Expressed interest in running for governor of Maryland

In April 2021, Steele expressed interest in running in the Republican primary for governor of Maryland.

July 2021: Formed exploratory committee and faced campaign finance complaint

In July 2021, Steele formed an exploratory committee for a potential gubernatorial run in Maryland. Subsequently, state delegate Lauren Arikan filed a campaign finance complaint against Steele, alleging illegal coordination.

January 2022: Announced he would not run for governor

In January 2022, Steele announced that he would not run for governor of Maryland.

January 18, 2023: Attended Wes Moore's inauguration

On January 18, 2023, Steele attended the inauguration of Governor-elect Wes Moore.

November 30, 2023: Announced as co-host of new MSNBC show

On November 30, 2023, MSNBC announced that Steele would be co-hosting a new weekend morning show, alongside Alicia Menendez and Symone Sanders-Townsend.

February 24, 2025: Co-hosting newscast on MSNBC's weekday 7pm ET time slot

Starting February 24, 2025, Steele and his other co-hosts on The Weekend would co-host a newscast on MSNBC's weekday 7pm ET time slot which was previously occupied Joy Reid's The ReidOut