From the Journal:

The status quo candidate is current Majority Whip Roy Blunt of Missouri. He’s made his way up the leadership working for Tom DeLay, and his specialty is transactional, K Street politics. The uproar over Jack Abramoff has caused him to endorse some spending reform of late. But he fundamentally believes–and he’s told us so himself–that “earmarks,” as designer pork projects are euphemistically known, are a good use of federal tax money and a prerogative of Congressional power. He also hasn’t been shy about using his current post as part of his attempt to climb the ladder, promising committee posts to supporters and even urging GOP contributors to make calls on his behalf.
The alternative candidates are Ohio’s John Boehner and Arizona’s John Shadegg. Mr. Boehner has served in leadership positions already, but has admirably never lobbied for pork in his own district. He also voted against last year’s bloated highway bill, which gives him a credible claim to be a candidate of change.
Even more impressive on the spending front is Mr. Shadegg, one of only two dozen courageous GOP souls to buck the White House and oppose the 2003 Medicare drug entitlement. We’d have to give him a slight edge on Mr. Boehner when it comes to ideas, too. Mr. Shadegg’s bill to free up interstate commerce in health insurance is one of the most important to be introduced in the current Congress, and shows exactly the kind of creative thinking people ought to look for in a potential leader. He also sponsored an amendment in 2001 to make the Bush tax cuts bigger….
Republicans still have eight months to try for redemption with the voters who put them in charge. But the clock is ticking. Today’s vote will tell a lot about whether the process starts now–or ever.