Free Congress Foundation Chairman Paul Weyrich is backing Roy Blunt for House Majority Leader, but he is not opposed to the idea of a John Shadegg candidacy, which might push front-runners Blunt and John Boehner to adopt more conservative positions:

I am for Blunt. It’s not that he’s perfect, but as a former president of a Baptist college [Southwest Baptist University], he understands the issues that I care about better than anybody else. Yes, he does have K Street connections, but they’re not unethical connections as far as I know. He has been a voice for the right kind of reform. He has a very different style from Tom [DeLay], and I am a big supporter of Tom, but he has a softer side which I think helps right now. John Shadegg, in my opinion does not have the stature to be in the leadership. I just don’t think he has risen to the leadership, say, in the way that Mike Pence has. If Pence were running I would back him 100 percent, because he does have the stature now. He’s done a lot of things that have caused him to rise in stature. I helped John Shadegg win his primary, so I’m not against him, but I don’t think he has the stature to win. Of course, if Blunt is elected then you have an election for whip, and in that I’m supporting Todd Tiahrt of Kansas. He’s a solid conservative that would put a very helpful face on the leadership and give us the kind of conservatism that the public is crying out for.
I have no problem with [Shadegg entering the race]. I don’t think he would have the votes to win, but if he ran and he got, say, 40 votes, and he got the two front-runners to commit to some things that most of us believe in, that would be productive, but I don’t think he would be able to win.