…on race:

House Leadership Race: Republicans choose their new Majority Leader on Thursday.
1) Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) did very poorly in his presentation to the Republican Study Committee retreat Monday. To make matters worse for him, Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio), his main opponent, surpassed all expectations. The race on Thursday is very likely to reach a second ballot, in which case Blunt is toast.
2) The conservative favorite, Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.), is not considered likely to make the second ballot due to his late entry into the race. But he may peel away enough of Blunt’s support to force a second ballot.
3) Blunt has refused until now to give up his position as Majority Whip, and now he has said that he will not give it up, even if he loses. If Blunt gets the leader position, Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.), as we wrote two weeks ago, is a lock for the whip post.