Kyl to become new minority whip?
 

Trent Lott has resigned his position as the minority whip in the Senate. This is good news in terms of there being another Republican seat up for grabs, but could also be very bad news since Jon Kyl is probably going to replace him.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21973397/

Re: Kyl to become new minority whip?
 

As I said in politics, the fact that he's running means little. There are a lot of other people in the Senate that will want this job (because it's as close to the Presidency as you can get without actually running for it when you're the majority) and Kyl is not what I would call a big name in that club.

Re: Kyl to become new minority whip?
 

Lamar Alexander and Jim DeMint also being mentioned as contenders. Alexander narrowly lost to Lott last time. TE ranks both as "?".

Apparently Kyl announced his candidacy before Lott even formally announced his resignation. Anybody know if we can fight against Kyl's candidacy? Is this something we can call our Senators about?

Re: Kyl to become new minority whip?
 

Given gaming's new-found financial muscle in Tenn, as reflected in the recent NY Times piece on the Tenn lottery success, wouldn't Alexander be a best choice among the Whip cadidates ?

Re: Kyl to become new minority whip?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Lamar Alexander and Jim DeMint also being mentioned as contenders. Alexander narrowly lost to Lott last time. TE ranks both as "?".

Apparently Kyl announced his candidacy before Lott even formally announced his resignation. Anybody know if we can fight against Kyl's candidacy? Is this something we can call our Senators about?

[/ QUOTE ]

Apparently, perhaps, Lott is back door supporting Kyl, bad for us.

The other 2 TE has as ? and Kyl we need no discussion on.

Myself, I cannot help in this, I have 2 democrats as reps, though you all with GOP senators need to decide on one of the others and support him.

L. Alexander knows first hand from the recent Ky. race how passionate poker players are; this may be a better choice for us as a whole.

obg

Re: Kyl to become new minority whip?
 

Kyl was the de facto #3 before this. He is butt buddies wth McCollum so he will probably win. Backing a candidate in an internal party contet is a bit outside the pale. Lott and Kyl are old friends as well. Suprising though that Demint is going after this when he isnt the most powerful Senator from his state. Im not sure if he or Graham are the senior, but both are rather recent Senate elections since the two corpses retired. Lamar Alexander is sorta the Republicans Joe Biden in that he knows deep in his heart he and he alone should be President.

Id stay out of it, the time to "back" a leadership candidate is in the long run with checks he can put in his campaign chest and hand out to his friends.

Re: Kyl to become new minority whip?
 

Lurker is correct. This is really an internal matter and public efforts to move Senators in one direction or another on their own leadership structure is futile.

Alexander thought he had the Whip job lined up last time, but counted his votes wrong (funny enough) and someone flipped on him. He's the most moderate of the ones mentioned.

Kyl is effectively a Republican mouthpiece and footsoldier. He's the current #3 behind McConnell and Lott.

DeMint is the type that goes after earmarks and government waste. Probably the most truly "conservative" of the bunch from that perspective.

Re: Kyl to become new minority whip?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Lurker is correct. This is really an internal matter and public efforts to move Senators in one direction or another on their own leadership structure is futile.

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Most interesting, would this apply to those who are registered republican's, should they stay out of the decision making process, having no contact with or opinions voiced to current republican Senator's on the make-up of their 'board of directors' in the U. S. Senate?

obg

Re: Kyl to become new minority whip?
 

No, but interest groups stay out of leadership contests. Its just sorta how its done. The Senate is supposed to be insulated from democracy to an extent. Leadership and committee assignments have never been democratic.

Re: Kyl to become new minority whip?
 

Roll Call is saying that Kyl is a near-lock to be the Whip:

Sen. Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) announced Monday evening that he would seek the Republican Conference chairmanship and support Sen. Jon Kyl (Ariz.) in his bid to become the next Minority Whip, a move that all but cements Kyl’s ascent into the No. 2 Republican leadership post.

source