Pelosi, Clyburn & Larson to squeeze Hoyer out of Dem House leadership?

News and a comment. First the news: Nancy Pelosi has decided to run for Minority Leader of the House, replacing Steny Hoyer, who is current Majority Leader (note that the majority, and only the majority, has the Speaker's chair as its top leadership position). Story is, Pelosi doesn't bring anything up for a vote if she doesn't have the votes in hand. Color her likely to win.

In addition, James Clyburn and John Larson have announced they will seek to retain their current positions (as Whip and Caucus chair). Since there are only three leadership positions available to the minority, Hoyer may be out. Roll Call (h/t David Dayen):

Larson and Democratic Whip James Clyburn (S.C.) both released statements Friday announcing their candidacy for another term in their current posts just moments after Pelosi announced via Twitter that she would run for Minority Leader. The fact that the statements came out in such quick succession is raising questions about whether Pelosi had been orchestrating a leadership slate that does not include Majority Leader Steny Hoyer.

David Dayen:

This does not actually set up well for Hoyer. He was the more conservative member of the leadership team, and now Democrats have a more ideologically cohesive caucus which tilts left. Clyburn has already picked up the support of Congressional Black Caucus Chair Barbara Lee. The CBC did not diminish a bit in the 2010 midterms and represents a significant bloc.

It doesn’t mean that Hoyer cannot win – he has plenty of goodwill from members who he bestowed lots of money on during their past campaigns. It was thought in 2007 that the late Jack Murtha could challenge Hoyer for the Majority Leader position, and Hoyer destroyed him in the final vote. But it sets up quite a battle.

And the comment. This is what sports types call "addition by subtraction" — the team gets better when certain players are off of it. The Blue Dogs took a beating, and the Dems lost the majority. I say we ended up stronger.

Progressive leverage at work. Well worth knowing about as we set up for the next election.

GP