The outlook for Michael Steele’s bid for a second term as Republican National Committee chairman was pretty clear from the beginning. As one political operative explained, no chairman trailing in the first round has ever won reelection. And while Steele’s support started out relatively strong with 44 votes during the first round, which put him in second place, after it eroded to 28 in the fourth ballot, he stepped aside, endorsing longtime Bush administration official Maria Cino. Both lost, however, to Reince Priebuf, former Wisconsin party chairman, who secured 97 votes.