Blunt to challenge Johnson in Senate GOP leadership race

Sen. Roy Blunt (Mo.) formally jumped into the race for Senate Republican Conference vice chairman on Tuesday, setting up a showdown with fellow freshman Sen. Ron Johnson (Wis.).

“After receiving encouragement from a number of my colleagues, I’ve decided to run for Senate Republican Conference vice chairman,” Blunt said in a news release. “America is facing a critical moment when we’re going to decide who we’re going to be as a nation, and I believe this is a good way for me to continue to contribute to this historic debate.”

Blunt served as the House Republican whip for six of his 14 years in the lower chamber, and was the interim majority leader for a few months after the resignation of Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas). Senate Republican Conference vice chairman is the fifth-ranking position in the GOP leadership.

The Missouri senator said he is “very encouraged” by the pledges of support he has received from members, but would not say how many votes he has.

Johnson said Tuesday that he is a better candidate than Blunt because he is more of an outsider.

“The No. 1 attribute I bring to the table is a totally different perspective to people who have been here for a while,” he said. “I think the 2010 election was about bringing in some citizen legislators with a lifetime of outside experience to bear on the nation’s problems.”

But Johnson, who won his 2010 race with the help of the conservative grassroots movement, denied that the race is strictly about Tea Party freshmen versus the Republican establishment.

“There is a broad range of support throughout the conference” for his candidacy, he said.

Johnson said he is not upset that the election has been moved up from January to next Tuesday, and he feels he has had sufficient time to reach out to his colleagues.

The Wisconsin senator quickly announced his candidacy and started rallying support after Sen. Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) announced his decision to step down as conference chairman, effective in January.

Alexander’s announcement sparked a shift in the Republican Senate leadership, as GOPers announced their interest in a series of positions opened up by the retirement of Minority Whip Jon Kyl (Ariz.) and Alexander. 

Republican Policy Committee Chairman John Thune (S.D.) is campaigning to succeed Alexander, while current conference Vice Chairman John Barrasso (Wyo.) is making a bid for Thune’s open slot.

Voting for the new Senate leadership is scheduled for Dec. 13. 

— This story was updated at 1:26 p.m.

---