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Arizona lawmaker wins key backing to succeed DeLay

Shadegg called 'true reformer' in House majority leader contest

Arizona Rep. John Shadegg argues that his rivals have failed to "clean up" unethical practices in the House.

Two seek House leadership position

• Shadegg enters leadership race

• DeLay steps down for good

• Indicted DeLay gives up post

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Two GOP congressmen -- a moderate and a conservative -- joined forces Tuesday to endorse Rep. John Shadegg of Arizona as a candidate to succeed Rep. Tom DeLay as the powerful House majority leader.

Shadegg's backers, Reps. Jeff Flake, R-Arizona, and Charles Bass, R-New Hampshire, argue he would provide a "fresh face" in the House leadership. They spearheaded a petition drive this month for a new permanent majority leader.

Shadegg said gaining support from two members with ideological differences "shows again that this race is not about moderate versus conservative -- it is a choice between real reform and the status quo."

DeLay announced January 7 that he would not try to reclaim the House majority leader post, although he said he will seek re-election in his Texas district in November. (Full story)

Party rules forced DeLay, who is facing illegal campaign finance charges in Texas, to step down from his leadership post while under indictment. Rep. Roy Blunt of Missouri has assumed responsibilities as acting majority leader.

A congressman since 1994, Shadegg faces an uphill race against Blunt and Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio. Blunt is said to be the front-runner, claiming to have more than the 117 votes in the GOP caucus needed to win the post.

Ninety House members publicly have supported Blunt's candidacy. Boehner's camp maintains the race isn't over, arguing he has 90 supporters, 47 of them public.

Flake dismissed questions about Shadegg's chances.

"The numbers don't add up," Flake said. "This is very much still a contested race. Anybody who goes into a situation with a secret ballot, who claims to have it wrapped up, ought to hear footsteps."

Bass, co-chair of the moderate House Tuesday Group, said all three candidates for majority leader are "philosophically more or less the same," but he singled Shadegg out as a "true reformer."

Boehner said he agrees with Bass and Flake that the contest should focus on reform.

"As a legislator who has never asked for a single pork-barrel project for his congressional district, I look forward to working with them as majority leader on earmark and budget reforms so we can change the way Congress does business," Boehner said.

Blunt's camp declined to comment on the endorsement for Shadegg.

Reform has become a recent watchword throughout the halls of Congress, especially in the wake of lobbyist Jack Abramoff's guilty plea to corruption charges on January 3.

With congressional elections looming in November, Democrats have blasted what they call a Republican "culture of corruption."

Abramoff, a longtime associate of top Republican figures, agreed to cooperate with federal prosecutors in an investigation that sources say could lead to charges against a half-dozen people. (Full story)

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