Rep. Michele Bachmann's (R-Minn.) leadership aspirations appeared to have cold water thrown on them Monday when news broke that she had been passed over for a spot on the GOP's post-election transition team. To compound the matter, Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas,) her primary competition for the desirable conference chair position, was brought on to the crew.
Jordan Fabian of The Hill tweeted Monday:
Rep. Jeb Hensarling named a member of the House GOP transition team, Rep. Michele Bachmann is not.
It's just the latest wrinkle in a GOP leadership dispute that has pitted establishment Republicans against the new wave of conservative energy.
Bachmann announced last week that she would be throwing her name in the hat for the title of GOP Conference Chair, which is soon to be the party's fourth most powerful post.
It didn't take long for some of the most powerful Republicans, including top officials such as likely House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (Va.) and Mike Pence, who had earlier retired his title as Conference Chair, to unite behind Bachmann's rival, Hensarling.
With this latest public and repressive snub of one of the House's most outspoken symbols of fresh, anti-establishment, Tea Party influence, this is either a sign of a potentially divisive and growing rift between two schools of conservative power, or at the least, a blow that will necessitate some mending to keep the relationship between various ranks of Republicans and their constituents from scarring too deeply.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Michele Bachmann
news.com
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