In the almost two weeks since the Nov. 2 elections, there’s been a lot of speculation about how Washington Democrats would respond.
Would the party move to the right by following the advice of Blue Dogs who want a more centrist leader than Rep. Nancy Pelosi?
Would it tack to the left by keeping Pelosi and maybe even voting down moderate Rep. Steny Hoyer, the No. 2 Democrat in the House, in his bid for a leadership position?
With just a few days left before the caucus votes on those leadership decisions, the answer is starting look like the Democrats will stand pat. No shake up in the works.
Pelosi loses the House speakership, of course, but she is still likely the top House Democrat — unless the less-than-infectious efforts from the Blue Dogs and other centrists to draft a Pelosi alternative suddenly catch fire over the weekend.
Hoyer, meanwhile, is facing a serious challenge for the No. 2 position from South Carolina’s Jim Clyburn, who has the support of the Congressional Black Caucus. But Hoyer’s public endorsements outnumber Clyburn’s and the Maryland congressman seems likely to survive.
The 42-member CBC is also weighing a possible leadership shakeup, as Houston’s Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee, according to the Houston Chronicle, is considering a bid to challenge Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver of Missouri for the post.
