WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- Jostling for the role of House minority leadership began Wednesday, with Republican Reps. Mike Pence of Indiana and Joe Barton of Texas likely candidates.
Last week, with polls suggesting Democrats would win a House majority, the prospect of replacing floor leader Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, came up, and Barton, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said he would take a shot at it, The Hill, a Washington newspaper, reported.
"If a position in the Republican leadership of the House opens, I'm interested," Barton said.
Meanwhile on Election Day, Pence, the chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee issued a statement with a strong leadership tone as Democrats won a majority.
"Some will argue that we lost our majority because of scandals at home and challenges abroad. I say, we did not just lose our majority, we lost our way," the statement said.
Republican leadership elections are scheduled for Nov. 15-16.
