Cantor takes swipe at Steele over RNC’s retreat in Hawaii

House GOP Whip Eric Cantor (Va.) took a shot at Republican
Party chairman Michael Steele Thursday for holding a GOP retreat in Hawaii.

Cantor, who has differed with Steele over Republican chances
to retake the House in 2010, indicated he wasn’t crazy about the idea of RNC
members relaxing on Hawaiian beaches when asked whether it was the right kind
of image for the party to project.

“Chairman Steele has a role to play in these elections,”
Cantor began. “Obviously, I have said that I disagree with his statement that
we can’t take back the House. So, do I want voters to think that Republicans do
nothing but go to beach resorts in January? No.”

The Republican National Committee did not immediately
respond to a request for comment.

{mosads}Steele earlier this month said he did not believe
Republicans could win back the House this year, but he later amended his
comments.

Steele and congressional Republicans have been bickering
this month, despite repeated good news for their party. Several Democrats in
the House and Senate have announced their retirements, and on Tuesday the GOP
won the Senate seat in Massachusetts previously held by the late Sen. Edward Kennedy
(D).

Republicans in Congress were reportedly upset to learn from
the media that Steele was writing a book about how to defeat President Barack
Obama’s agenda. Steele also has come under criticism from some Republicans for
accepting payments as a speaker since becoming the party’s chairman.

A handful of rank-and-file House Republicans, unaware that
the RNC intended to meet in the Rainbow State at the end of the month, were
“amazed” at the prospect.

Speaking at the same event as Cantor on Thursday, Rep. Kevin
McCarthy (R-Calif.) noted that House Republicans will be holding their retreat
next week in Baltimore.

He added that he hoped Steele and the other RNC attendees in
Hawaii would canvass for the GOP candidate running in a special election to
fill the seat of Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D).

Abercrombie announced that he would give up his seat at the
end of February in order to focus on his gubernatorial bid.