…suspense hangs on the race for whip between Reps. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), the current occupant, and John Shadegg (R-Ariz.), a darling of the conservative media.Blunt has told supporters in private that he has the votes to preserve his leadership post when members cast their secret ballots this Friday, members and an aide said yesterday, but some of those same supporters question the strength of his backing. Blunt made a similar prediction before losing to Boehner in their majority leader race earlier this year.
These supporters are concerned that Blunt’s tally is soft heading into the election and that some of his confirmed votes will buck him on the secret ballot. Whips rank their votes on a number scale to account for the level of support, and many of the whip’s supporters are not hard commitments, one ally said yesterday.
Here he is — Darling — on NRO today.