Fights Brew Over House Posts

"I have a lot of respect for Jack Murtha, but I remain shocked that he is talking about making a run for majority leader," said Rep. Ellen Tauscher (Calif.), a Hoyer supporter and a leading Democratic moderate. "I don't understand it. I'm not supportive of it, and it's having a deleterious effect on what I think and hope will be a huge win on November 7."

Murtha's supporters are quick to dismiss charges that the veteran lawmaker is sowing discord. They say Hoyer's supporters are acting as if he has a right to the majority leader's post, when in fact such leadership contests are routine.

"This decision is going to get made the week we get back," said Rep. Michael E. Capuano (Mass.), a Murtha supporter. "There's not going to be a lot of time for it to fester. The minute it's over, we will all be pushing in the same direction."

Hoyer and Murtha have long had a rocky relationship, according to Democratic sources, and Hoyer's allies say he is not happy that he has had to spend valuable time before an important election shoring up his support. "There isn't going to be a majority leader's race if we don't win this election," Hoyer said in a brief interview last weekend.

Murtha said recently that he is running because he believes that Hoyer has been disloyal to Pelosi, an accusation that Hoyer has denied. "The guy has been trying to undercut her ever since she was elected minority leader," Murtha said. "Damn right it's true."

Some Democrats predicted that Murtha will not stay in the race if he is not fairly certain he can win, for fear of diluting his power. But Murtha supporters say he will stick it out because it is difficult to predict what members will do in secret balloting. "Look, both have duplicate names on their list," said Rep. James P. Moran Jr. (Va.), a Murtha supporter. "No one wants to get on the wrong side of either of them."

The Murtha-Hoyer competition could be eclipsed in bitterness if Emanuel presses ahead with a campaign for the whip's post. Kathleen Connery, a spokeswoman for Emanuel, said the lawmaker "morally feels obligated to the contributors, candidates and the caucus to focus like a laser on November 7, and anyone not doing that is not delivering for the caucus."

That said, aides close to Emanuel said he has not ruled out a challenge.

"That would be a hotly contested race," said Rep. Melvin Watt (N.C.), the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus.

Staff researcher Madonna Lebling contributed to this report.