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　　U.S. Republicans have elected the first African-American to head their party's national committee. Top Republicans from around the country chose former Maryland Lieutenant-Governor Michael Steele to be the next chairman of the Republican National Committee.
美国共和党人第一次选举一位非洲裔美国人担任共和党全国委员会主席。美国全国各地的共和党头面人物推选马里兰州前副州长迈克尔·斯蒂尔出任下一届共和党全国委员会主席。
Steele is the first black American to hold the post and he will now become a leading spokesman and candidate recruiter as Republicans try to recover after losing the presidency¹ in November and losing their majorities in both chambers² of Congress in 2006.
斯蒂尔是担任这个职务的第一位黑人。共和党人在去年大选中落败和在2006年的选举中丢掉国会参众两院多数党地位之后，斯蒂尔将成为共和党努力收复失地的过程中一位主要发言人，他还将负责甄选共和党候选人。
Steele beat out four challengers including the incumbent³ Republican chairman, Mike Duncan, and Steele vowed⁴ to bring change to the Republican Party.
斯蒂尔是击败了包括现任共和党全国委员会主席迈克·邓肯之后胜出的。他誓言要为共和党带来变革。
"To those who support us, to those who believe in the ideals and those conservative principles that have made us the strong and proud party that we are, to Americans who believe in the future of this country, to those who stand in difference with us - it is time for something completely different, and we are going to bring it to them," he said.
斯蒂尔说：“对支持我们的人，对相信使我们成为现在这个坚强和自豪的政党的理念和保守主义原则的人，对相信我们国家未来的美国人，对和我们有分歧的人，我要说，现在是彻底改变的时候了，我们要把这些变化带给他们。”
Steele promised to reach out to voters who have been turned off by Republican candidates and Republican themes in recent elections, and to broaden the base of a party that has narrowed in recent years.
斯蒂尔保证说，他要争取那些在最近几次选举中对共和党候选人和共和党的主张不再感兴趣的选民，并扩大共和党这些年来不断缩小的民众基础。
"We are going to bring this party to every corner, every boardroom, every neighborhood, every community, and we are going to say to friend and foe⁵ alike, we want you to be a part of us, we want you to work with us," he said. "And for those of you who wish to obstruct⁶, get ready to get knocked over."
斯蒂尔说：“我们要让这个党深入到每一个角落，每一个会议室，每一个街道，每一个社区，我们要对朋友和对手说，我们希望你们成为我们的一员，和我们共同努力。而那些企图设置障碍的人，你们要做好被抛弃的准备。”
Steele has the difficult job of trying to rebuild a dispirited Republican Party following President Barack Obama's victory in November over John McCain and Democratic gains in Congress in the past two election cycles.
奥巴马总统去年11月击败麦凯恩，民主党在过去两轮选举中增加了在国会两院的席位，在这种情况下，斯蒂尔要重建一个心灰意冷的共和党，可谓任务艰巨。
Democrats⁷ gained majorities in both the Senate and House of Representatives in 2006 and expanded those majorities in the November elections.
民主党2006年在国会参众两院都成为多数党，在去年11月的选举中又进一步扩大了优势。