Associated Press
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga.
I suspect for most folks away from Capitol Hill, the fight for the #4 slot in the House Republican conference leadership isn't just an obvious example of inside baseball, it also seems irrelevant.
But I'd argue this dispute, resolved this afternoon, actually matters.
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.) was elected chairwoman of the House GOP conference on Wednesday, a victory for party leaders over insurgent conservatives.
McMorris Rodgers had received the quiet support of the highest-ranking GOP lawmakers in her closely watched bid for the fourth-ranking slot among House Republicans after Democrats won solid majorities of female voters in last week's election.
The Washington state Republican, who has served two terms as the conference's vice chairwoman, defeated Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), a favorite of conservatives, in a closed-door election among House Republicans.
As a practical matter, being the chair of the House GOP conference isn't an especially big deal, but this mattered as part of a larger proxy fight.
Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), the failed vice presidential candidate, knew his caucus' leadership, including House Speaker John Boehner, was backing McMorris Rodgers for the #4 post -- in part because he didn't want four white guys making up the entirely of the GOP leadership -- but Ryan nevertheless threw his support to Rep. Tom Price, a very conservative congressman from Georgia.
In this sense, today's vote wasn't just McMorris Rodgers vs. Price; it was a power play that pitted Boehner and the Republican establishment against Paul Ryan and the far-right wing. And as of this afternoon, Boehner won, leaving Ryan looking rather powerless.
I'm beginning to think Paul Ryan isn't having a great month.
For what it's worth, this was the only leadership race of interest -- Boehner, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, and Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy will remain in their posts, taking the top three slots in the House Republican leadership.
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Any Ayn Rand sycophant has no business in the House of the people's business!
Ryan is not a visionary so much as he is a prurient farm boy whose time has come and gone! Good luck Paul with Marco and all testing the water for 2016. Me thinks Ryan will go the way of Tailgunner Joe - another Wisconsinite who was bigger than famous, he was infamous! -Kevo
You mean Eddie Munster still has a place in Congress, drat!
I love that picture. I wonder what they were laughing at? Obviously the loser didn't think it was funny ha ha.
Awesome. They have a token woman. That is the answer, you know. Just put more women and minorities in view and people will magically vote for them. Why not have an all-white-male leadership team? That is who they represent. Might as well keep it real.
Paul who?? Not sure I've heard of him.
Window dressing is not a substitute for substantive change. And that is still in short supply with Republicans. They are going for shooting themselves in both feet.
Right. They were so successful flipping African-Americans to the "R" column by making Michael Steele the RNC chairman, or running folks like Alan Keyes and former Florida Congressman West.
Excuse me? "The GOP didn't want it to be 4 white people?" Tell me, who among the top Dems in the House and Senate are anything but white? Pelosi, Hoyer, Durbin, Reid.
Talk about having race on the brain 24/7, MSNBC.
What about Warren? :)
and Nancy Pelosi is anything but a token woman...
ilovedc. Close, but no cigar. Benen didn't say "The GOP didn't want it to be 4 white people"; he said "four white *guys*". There's a difference -- all guys are people, but not all people are guys, you see. Additionally, Durbin is not in the House leadership; he's a Senator. And Clyburn, who *is* a part of the the House Dem leadership, is anything but white.
Seems to me that your love for DC is not reciprocated. Or else you need to learn to lie more skillfully.
Let's all wish that for him, the best is over now.
A few days ago, I finished reading a good book "Dead Aim." Sorry can't recall the author. About midway through he describes millionaires and how they feel about the 47 per cent Mr. Romney referred to during the election. I felt that it was an accurate description. So how could he relate to an average American working man or woman. He couldn't!! He couldn't solve our problems because he had never had the experiences. If you recall neither he or Mr. Ryan offered any solutions, only criticism of the President. The people soundly defeated Mr. Romney and he has disappeared from the scene. Mr. Ryan is still present, voicing his negative attacks against the President, but offering nothing. My hopes are that he will disappear in the immediate future. I'm tired!!!
Pore, pore Ryand; rejected even by his own party...
I've always maintained that the reason Boehner has refused to make any deals with the President and/or Sen. Reid was because he feared not having the support of a majority of his caucus. Whether he recognizes the smack-down Republicans received in the election or not, I don't know, but it's starting to look so. What matters now is whether or not a majority of the Republican caucus have also had that epiphany.
That I doubt...
Why in the hell is this dribble on the website? Let's talk about JOBS, JOBS, JOBS for the first time in the last 4 years!!!!! GET IT DEMS?
sorry, you gotta wait till january. the duck is still on crutches.
but, come january they'd better get down to work.
there might even be hope for the senate now. with the addition of the seats the democrats picked up they now need fewer votes from the other side and there were a few times that they got some of those votes. now with scott brown going, the vote that could have put them over 60 a few times willl be held by elizabeth warren. add that to a few aisle-crossers and we might see a changed senate. or at least a workable one.
the house, on the other hand...
Sorry....."drivel"...not dribble (although that is appropriate, as well)
Mc Morris Rodgers: Gop Needs To Be More 'Modern' Not 'Moderate'
http://www.spokeo.com/Cathy+Mcmorris+Rodgers+1