House and Senate lawmakers return to Congress this week to choose Republican and Democratic leaders for the next Congress, but House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., won’t be one of them.
Pelosi’s bid to become the next House speaker is the only leadership race that could lead to some surprises, and in recognition of that, she’s delayed the election until after Thanksgiving.
Pelosi is scrambling to tamp down a rebellious gang within the Democratic caucus who want a younger face to lead the party, after a successful election for Democrats that will yield at least 32 new lawmakers in the House and possibly another half-dozen more, once all the ballots are counted. So far she’s the only candidate to be speaker of the House, but that could change if freshman Democrats decide to demand fresh blood at the top.
In the meantime, Senate leadership races and the House Republican leadership race should be over by Wednesday afternoon, as most candidates there are not being challenged. Here’s how it should all shake out by this Wednesday.
[Read more: Top Democrat says colleagues who oppose Pelosi for speaker had their argument ‘obliterated’ by voters]
SENATE REPUBLICANS
Senate Republicans meet Wednesday morning to vote on their leadership lineup. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., will run unopposed to serve as the chamber’s top leader for a third term.
Current Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, can’t run again due to term limits. The current conference chair, Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., is running unopposed to succeed Cornyn.
Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., is running unopposed to move up one place in the leadership ladder to become conference chair. Barrasso had been serving in the No. 4 position, policy committee chair.
Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., the policy committee vice chair, is running unopposed to take over as policy committee chair.
Republican conference vice chair is the only contested race. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, faces off against Deb Fischer, R-Neb.
SENATE DEMOCRATS
Familiar faces will run for the Senate Democratic conference, which remains relegated to the minority for a third Congress.
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., will run unopposed for minority leader.
Schumer’s top lieutenant, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., faces no opposition in his quest to serve another term as minority whip.
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., is set to win re-election as assistant Democratic leader, and Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., is expected to run again for the job of policy committee chair.
HOUSE REPUBLICANS
House Republicans, who will be in the minority in January, are expected to elect Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., to serve as minority leader. McCarthy is currently the majority leader. Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., is retiring at the end of the year.
McCarthy faces conservative House Freedom Caucus founder Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, as his sole opponent.
Jordan is popular with many conservatives in the conference but not enough to win a majority of those voting. McCarthy aides told the Washington Examiner they easily have the votes to ensure victory.
Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., is running unopposed to become the minority whip. He now serves as majority whip.
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., is not running for a fourth term as conference chair. Rep. Lynn Cheney, R-Wyo., is running unopposed to take her place.
Rep. Todd Emmer, R-Minn., is so far the lone candidate to run the House GOP fundraising arm, the National Republican Congressional Committee. The current chair, Rep. Steve Stivers, R-Ohio, is not seeking another term.
