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Basseterre, St. Kitts, January 07, 2017 (SKNIS): American politician and MSNBC political analyst as of May of 2011 is the featured speaker at Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris’ New Year’s Gala, which takes place today, January 07, at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort and Royal Beach Casino.

Mr. Steele is the first African-American chairperson of the Republican National Committee (RNC), which he chaired for two years, from January 2009 until January 2011. He was featured prominently in the news when he announced he will vote for neither Donald Trump nor Hilary Clinton because of his displeasure with the substance of the political debate.

His ascension in the Republican Party was swift. He was initiated at the local level in Prince George’s County as chair of the Prince George’s County Republican Central Committee from 1994 to 2000. Subsequently, he was elected chairman of the Maryland Republican Party in December 2000.

He became the first African American to be elected to statewide office in Maryland, taking office as lieutenant governor in January 2003.

Mr. Steele was named chairperson of the GOPAC on February 1, 2007. The GOPAC is a political action committee geared towards educating and electing a new generation of Republican leaders.

Mr. Steele, 58, was born at Andrews Air Force Base in Prince George’s County, Maryland on October 19, 1958.  He was one of the first in his family to go to college where he accomplished a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from John Hopkins University and a Law Degree from Georgetown University Law Center.

After Mr. Steele graduated from Georgetown Law School, he worked at Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton, an international law firm, based in Washington, D.C. He then joined a real estate development firm based in Virginia, Mills Corporation, as an in-house counsel. After that, he started his own consulting firm, the Steele Group.

As a young man, he had his primary political socialization as a Democrat, but later had a conversion to the Grand Old Party (G.O.P) better known as the Republican Party. He credits his mother, Maebell, and deceased American Republican President Ronald Reagan, whose “pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps” message resonated with him and reminded him of his mother’s independence and determination to beat the odds.

Mr. Steele is a devout Catholic, who is a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Landover Hills, Maryland. He studied for the Roman Catholic priesthood at Augustinian Friar’s Seminary at Villanova University, but later decided on a career in the civil service.

He is married to Andrea, and they have two sons, Michael and Drew.