Michael Steele stumps for candidate Star Parker in Long Beach 

(See photo gallery)

By Paul Eakins, Staff Writer
Long Beach Press-Telegram

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele rolled into Long Beach on Monday afternoon on his "Fire Pelosi Bus Tour" to stump for a local congressional candidate.

The brief stop at George's '50s Diner in Bixby Knolls was part of Steele's 48-state tour designed to raise money for the GOP, support Republican candidates and oust Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Stepping off of Steele's bus Monday was Republican congressional candidate Star Parker, who is running against Rep. Laura Richardson, D-Long Beach, for the 37 th District seat in the Nov. 2 election.

Dozens of supporters greeted the bus and packed into the tiny diner to hear Steele and Parker speak. Like Parker, Steele is black, and he lauded the 37 th District, which encompasses Long Beach, Signal Hill, Carson, Compton and parts of Los Angeles, for its racial and cultural diversity.

"You know where it's (diversity) lacking the most - in the United States Congress," Steele said. "And so you have a chance to send a little piece of yourself to Washington with Star."

Asked later by the Press-Telegram how Parker's diversity differs from that of Richardson, who is also black, Steele said he sees Parker not just as an opportunity for Congress, but also for the GOP.

"For generations, African-Americans have only seen the equation from one side, the Democrat side, and so this is the really first pronounced effort we've had in the party to have a broad section of the community represented, politically and otherwise," Steele said.

The chairman also had promoted Parker as a local voice in Congress. However, she moved to the district and Long Beach only this year.

Richardson, on the other hand, has been in Long Beach for years, having served on the City Council and briefly in the state Assembly.

"It's what you do with the time that you've been given, and clearly it's not enough for the people here," Steele told the Press-Telegram.

Steele has become a polarizing figure in the GOP, making statements that have caused the party leadership to bristle, such as speaking against the war in Afghanistan and criticizing conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh. Some also blame Steele for the division between establishment Republicans and the Tea Party movement.

For some in the crowd Monday, it was Parker, not Steele, who was the attraction. Parker isn't exactly a Tea Party candidate, but her far-right views have attracted many of that element.

Rosemary Welch, coordinator of Tea Party group the Long Beach Patriots, said that Democratic and Republican party leaders both "are the problem" in Washington, D.C.

As she watched Steele's long, red bus pull out onto Atlantic Avenue, Welch added: "I like that bus - because Star's in it."
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