WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 (UPI) -- There's now a three-way race for majority leader of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Rep. John Shadegg, R-Ariz., announced Friday that he is running against Roy Blunt of Missouri, who has been acting majority leader since Tom DeLay of Texas stepped aside, and John Boehner of Ohio, chairman of the Education and Workforce Committee, the New York Times reported.
Boehner, who trails Blunt in his committed supporters, welcomed Shadegg's candidacy. Boehner could benefit from a third person drawing enough votes to deny Blunt a first-ballot victory.
"His entry into the majority leader race is further proof that the conference isn't happy with the status quo," Boehner said in a statement.
Shadegg also said he would resign as policy chairman, the No. 5 position in the party leadership. Blunt remains majority whip and has said he would keep the job if he loses his bid to succeed DeLay.
