Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) was wrong to suggest Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) doesn't reach out to centrists, Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Tuesday.
Hoyer, Pelosi's No. 2 in the House Democratic Caucus, took exception to Shuler's statement Monday that Pelosi has "no communication whatsoever" with members of the centrist Blue Dog coalition.
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"I really don't think his characterization of Nancy, in terms of reaching out, is correct," Hoyer said on MSNBC. "Perhaps she doesn't have the personal relationship with them — that might be accurate — but she does reach out."
Shuler singled out Hoyer as a decent emissary, but said that Pelosi, whom Shuler unsuccessfully challenged for the job of minority leader, doesn't do a good job.
Democratic sources pushed back at Shuler's characterization on Monday, pointing out that Pelosi had actually spoken personally with over half the members of the Blue Dog Coalition during the most recent House recess.
Still, Shuler's remark opened the door to more criticism by Blue Dogs, 11 of whom voted for the former Washington Redskins quarterback over Pelosi during leadership elections earlier this year.
"I don’t necessarily think she [Pelosi] agrees with the views that we [Blue Dogs] have as a group," said Rep. Jason Altmire (D-Pa.), one of the 11 who voted for Shuler, on Monday on Fox News. "I don’t feel like we’re on the same page with the direction of the party and the direction of policy for the country moving forward."
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