House Republicans’ First Big Test

By Rebekah Rast
Not all Republicans are the same.

Some Republicans in the House of Representatives favor a more moderate approach when voting on big-ticket items like health care, cap-and-trade and stimulus bills. Others stick to fiscally conservative values and shrink away from voting “yea” on anything that would add additional debt to the nation or grow government power.

With 60-plus new House Republican Members joining the forces in January, Republican leadership is tasked with finding the right kind of Republicans to Chair and lead the new House of Representatives.
Since many of the new Members can attribute their win to the tea party movement, Republicans have announced efforts to stick to the values that got them elected, a desire to limit government, shrink the national debt and slash federal spending.

Therefore, those Republicans who vote moderate and maybe lean a little to left, might not stand a chance of any leadership posts in this new Congress — no matter what their seniority status or how deserving they might feel they are of gaining the post.

That includes the naming of the next Chairman for the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
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