January 14, 2006

Inside The Numbers II: The RSC Primary

For our second look "Inside The Numbers," we had hoped to compare the support that Blunt and Boehner were drawing from, respectively, the House GOP Whip team and the GOP members of the House's Ed and Workforce Cmte. This, we thought, would be a good indication of how the two were faring among the members who know them best and would, presumably, be some of their biggest backers.

But with Shadegg's entry into the race yesterday a.m. (not to mention the state-secret nature of who exactly is on the House Maj Whip Team) such an analysis has now been rendered obsolete.

So instead we've compiled a list of who is winning support from the suddenly en vogue conservative Republican Study Cmte (RSC).

As we wrote in an earlier post, this group, along with their reform-minded counterparts in the moderate Tuesday Group, could play a decisive role if enough of them hang together and deliver an en bloc endorsement in the final days of a close race. Whether or not a significant number are "keeping their powder dry" is an open question, though, given the number of public and private support Boehner and Blunt have been touting.

The RSC lists 103 members in the 109th Congress. Blunt claims support from 36 of them and Boehner 13. Shadegg, for his part, drew both of his first two endorsements from among the RSC.

On that last figure, a major caveat. Shadegg is an ex-RSC Chair and still holds considerable sway with the group. Indeed it was the rank-and-file of the RSC that pushed the AZ'an to get in leader race. As he burns up cell phone minutes this weekend, Shadegg is likely to secure endorsements from previously uncommitted members of the group. And today his spokesperson went even further, issuing a statement asserting that they "already have defections from the Blunt list." Lastly, as Richard Cohen sagely noted in this week's issue of National Journal, endorsements in secret ballot leadership races must be taken with tablespoons of salt.

With that, find below a look at who the listed members of the RSC are supporting as of 1/14 p.m.

TEAM BLUNT:
Todd Akin (MO)
Rodney Alexander (LA)
Joe Barton (TX)
Bob Beauprez (CO)
Marsha Blackburn (TN)
John Boozman (AR)
Kevin Brady (TX)
Michael Burgess (TX)
Dan Burton (IN)
Dave Camp (MI)
John Carter (TX)
Tom Cole (OK)
Michael Conaway (TX)
John Culberson (TX)
Geoff Davis (KY)
Mario Diaz-Balart (FL)
John Doolittle (CA)
Phil Gingrey (GA)
Louie Gohmert (TX)
Bob Goodlatte (VA)
Duncan Hunter (CA)
Darrell Issa (CA)
Bobby Jindal (LA)
Jack Kingston (GA)
Michael McCaul (TX)
Sue Myrick (NC)
Randy Neugebauer (TX)
Charlie Norwood (GA)
Ted Poe (TX)
Dana Rohrabacher (CA)
John Sullivan (OK)
Tom Tancredo (CO)
Charles Taylor (NC)
Lynn Westmoreland (GA)
Roger Wicker (MS)
Joe Wilson (SC)

TEAM BOEHNER:
Gresham Barrett (SC)
Chris Cannon (UT)
Steve Chabot (OH)
Chris Chocola (IN)
Virginia Foxx (NC)
Sam Johnson (TX)
John Kline (MN)
Donald Manzullo (IL)
Buck McKeon (CA)
Gary Miller (CA)
Anne Northup (KY)
Pete Sessions (TX)
Lee Terry (NE)

TEAM SHADEGG:
Trent Franks (AZ)
Jeb Hensarling (TX)

Posted at 06:05 PM

Comments

Beauprez has a primary race in his run for Governor of Colorado, so his support of Blunt surprises me. Shadegg would be the better candidate for BB to attach to.

Primary in Colorado | 01.14.06 10:22 PM

Shadegg has an eye on eliminating earmarks as most RSC memebers do. he has been more removed form the leadership cadre under Delay.

His election as leader would give 2006 election cycle a cleaner appearnace with less oportunity for Democrats and their Propaganda machine against Delay and the "K" Street Project to latch on to.

Current leadership(Blunt) is more drunk on Spending. If you want to see a conservative support smaller governament and reign in spending let Your congressman know you want Shadegg.

Merrill | 01.15.06 02:24 PM

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