Politico today reports on the race for chairman of the Republican National Committee. Six candidates are seeking the position, including incumbent Mike Duncan, who wants a second term. After all, this one was such a resounding success. This is the Texas angle: Ken Blackwell: The former Cincinnati mayor and Ohio secretary of state entered the RNC campaign late – on December 5 – and has lagged behind the other contenders. While his candidacy hasn’t exactly caught fire, it got a potentially significant boost this week in the shape of his partnership with Benkiser, who could help Blackwell appeal to the significant social conservative bloc on the committee. Benkiser is a lock for the vice-chairman’s job under RNC rules, which require that the gender of the vice-chair must be opposite from that of the chairman. She is the only female candidate.