A group of committed conservatives in the House of Representatives called the Republican Study Committee is holding a retreat in Baltimore today and tomorrow to discuss issues surrounding the House race for majority leader and majority whip. About an hour ago majority leader candidate John Boehner came down to the press room to talk about his presentation.

Mostly he said about what you would expect: He promised to be the “best majority leader” that he can be (Do they make a coffee mug for that?). However, there was one interesting note. Boehner said he had not cut a deal with John Shadegg (i.e., promised each other to endorse whoever makes it into a run-off with Roy Blunt). But he talked about three different conversations he has had with Shadegg since this race began – one when Shadegg was considering a run, one when Shadegg announced he was running, and one after Blunt refused to appear with them on Meet the Press. One reporter then asked Boehner if he had any conversations with Blunt. Boehner said yes, he spoke with Roy Blunt when they appeared together on Fox News Sunday. The reporter asked if that was the only conversation Boehner had with Blunt since the race began, and Boehner said yes.

It’s another sign of the de facto Boehner/Shadegg alliance (at least for now), and that the two candidates have been working together to portray Blunt as the agent of the status quo. Both Boehner and Shadegg want to deny Blunt a clear majority in Thursday’s vote, and it could be that their supporters end up backing whichever of the two candidates makes it onto the second ballot, if there is one.