Thursday, November 16, 2006

pelosi officially speaker; hoyer elected majority leader

House Democrats spoke unanimously today in electing Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California to the highest ranking position in Congress, Speaker of the House.

Her choice for Majority Leader, Rep. John Murtha, was beaten out by Maryland Democrat Rep. Steny Hoyer. Hoyer won the secret-ballot vote 149-86. Pelosi and Hoyer pledged to put aside differences and move Congress forward with the new Democratic majority. Said Hoyer: "The Republicans need to know, the president needs to know and the country needs to know our caucus is unified today."

North Texas Republican Rep. Joe Barton of Ennis dropped out of the race for minority leader, leaving Republicans to decide between Rep. John Boehner of Ohio and Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana. That vote will be held tomorrow.

Read more on the leadership elections at Three Wise Men.

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