Spoke to Mike Pence of 6th Indiana with regard the insider line
on the February 2 showdown for House GOP leader.
According to Pence, Team Roy Blunt of Missouri claims 115 or 116
pledges; yet the Hotline lists only 90 published names.
Pence, a Shadegg supporter, says that he counts 100 firm pledges to
Blunt, no more.
Team Shadegg's strategy is to identify names on the Blunt pledge
list of members who will state in public that they chose too soon,
that Shadegg's late entry changes the landscape.
One wavering name, confirmed by Larry Kudlow of CNBC, is Marsha
Blackburn of Tennessee, who may be close to changing her commitment
from Blunt to Shadegg. Blackburn now hints that she will challenge
Deborah Pryce, who is part of Team Blunt; and that is motive for
Blackburn to pull vote back from pledge to Blunt.
Team Shadegg's election day strategy is to stop Blunt on the
first ballot. Anything less than 117 (secret ballot) opens the door
to a rush to Boehner or Shadegg.
