Minority Report: House Leadership Elections
House GOPers will caucus at 8 a.m. today for their leadership elections. After a week of stating their conservative cases and strategies to their colleagues, candidates will vote by secret ballot until a majority is reached. A quick primer in order of the ballot:
Min. Leader: Consensus is that this is almost a sure thing for affable current Leader John Boehner (OH), especially since Rep. Joe Barton (TX) quit the race and threw his support behind him.
But Rep. Mike Pence (IN) has run hard advocating for bringing back conservative principles. In his speech to his colleagues 11/16, Pence said: "I am not running because I think John Boehner did a bad job as Majority Leader. Quite the contrary. I think the guy deserves a medal... I am running because I think I might just be the best man to lead this conference as Minority Leader. And the role of the Minority Leader is different from Majority Leader. Each demand different skills and each have different goals."
Hotline sources report the following members supporting Boehner: Alexander (LA), Baker (LA), Barrett (SC), Barton (TX), Biggert (IL), Boustany (LA), Brown (SC), Coble (NC), Diaz-Balart, M. (FL), Drake (VA), Gingrey (GA), Hastings (WA), Hoekstra (MI), Inglis (SC), Latham (IA), McCaul (TX), McKeon (CA), Mica (FL), Miller (CA), Porter (NV), Price (GA), King (NY), Regula (OH), Rehberg (MT), Rogers (MI), Royce (CA), Saxton (NJ), Shimkus (IL) and Tiberi (OH).
Hotline sources report the following members supporting Pence: Cannon (UT), Feeney (FL), Flake (AZ), Garrett (NJ), Hensarling (TX), King (IA), Tancredo (CO)
Minority Whip: Hotline calls show Whip Roy Blunt (MO) and Rep. John Shadegg (AZ) almost even in their race. Some members have suggested that House GOPers who don't pick the conservative Pence for maj. leader will pick his Republican Study Committee colleague Shadegg for whip to show that the party is still seeking change.
Rep. Eric Cantor (VA) insists he's backing Blunt, but this week's news has been dominated by a whisper campaign for Cantor's candidacy. Shadegg announced 11/16 via Roll Call that he will keep Cantor on as chief deputy Whip if elected. It's possible that someone could nominate Cantor from the floor this morning, which would damage Blunt the most in this race. But if Cantor is nominated from the floor, can he turn it down in favor of Blunt?
"The conference rules don’t contemplate such a scenario. In order to be considered a candidate, someone has to be nominated and seconded," said one GOP aide. "It is hard to imagine that happening to someone if they just don’t want it."
Hotline sources report the following members supporting Blunt: Boustany (LA), Brady (TX), Brown, Cantor (VA), Coble (NC), Diaz-Balart, M. (FL), Hastings (WA), Mica (FL), Price (GA), Royce (CA) and Shimkus (IL).
Hotline sources report the following members supporting Shadegg: Cannon (UT), Flake (AZ) , Gingrey (GA), Pickering (MS), Radanovich (CA), Renzi (AZ), Ryan (WI), Tancredo (CO).
Conference Chair: In the most crowded field in the election, this race will likely have the most ballots. Rep. Adam Putnam (FL) is quietly backed by the current leadership, but Rep. Marsha Blackburn (TN) is also considered a frontrunner. Reps. Jack Kingston (GA) and Dan Lungren (CA) are also running.
Policy Committee: A two-man race between Reps. Darrell Issa (CA) and Thaddeus McCotter (MI) has been the only campaign for which both candidates have released public support lists. The latest count had Issa at 46 public names and McCotter at 55, but the camps say they have more names signed on, with 79 and 105 respectively.
Conference Vice Chair: Reps. Kay Granger (TX) is running against Steve Pearce (NM).
Conference Secretetary: Rep. John Carter (TX) is the only candidate, and he's released all 113 public names to prove it.
NRCC Chair: Out of all the candidates, Reps. Pete Sessions (TX) has the most public support -- but that's in no smal part because the large TX GOP delegation is backing him. Phil English (PA) and Tom Cole (OK) are also running in the race to succeed Rep. Tom Reynolds (NY). [SHIRA TOEPLITZ]
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