22-Year-Old Launches Online Petition to Fire RNC Chairman Steele

If Thomas Shultz is any indication of how young Republicans feel about the RNC's Michael Steele, the embattled chairman could be one step closer to being knocked off his leadership perch.

Schultz, a student at Brigham Young University in Utah, started an online petition called replacemichalesteele.com. He's a young Republican that's lost faith in his party's leader, a sentiment mirrored by those twice his aged and evidenced by former Steele underling Gentry Collins's scathing resignation letter.

"After that letter came out, and then after some other articles came out talking about how Steele has a fair number of votes for the January election, I was concerned," Schultz told TPM.

"I think there's definitely a consensus that's building that he needs to go," he added. "He's a solid individual. I just question his ability to lead us to victory in 2012."

Schultz is especially upset about Steele's attitude towards the Tea Party. "When he sits there and claims that he's the reason why the tea party didn't revolt from the RNC, I question that," Schultz said.

His site brings together articles that question Steele's leadership and chances of keeping his position.

"As Republicans, we have lost all confidence in Michael Steele and are committed to stopping his re-election as chairman of the Republican National Committee," the site says. "In order to elect a Republican President and Senate, and retain control of the House in 2012, we need an effective leader who can guide the party and fix the tarnished reputation of the RNC."

While it's too early to tell if Schultz's site is having, or will have, an effect on Steele's re-election chances, it might not matter. According to the Washington Post, the question isn't so much if Steele will lose, but how he will handle it.

"Michael Steele's days as chairman of the Republican National Committee appear to be numbered," the Post reports. "The real questions about his eventual departure may be when it will take place and how messy it will be."