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Pelosi’s Friends Advance in Leadership

House Democrats on Tuesday installed a new leadership team for the 111th Congress stocked with loyal lieutenants of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.).

The majority’s closed-door huddle Tuesday afternoon produced no surprises. Rep. John Larson (Conn.), running unopposed for the Caucus chairmanship, secured that fourth-ranking slot — a post that Rep. Rahm Emanuel (Ill.) quit for a job in the Obama White House. Meanwhile, Rep. Xavier Becerra (Calif.) locked up the fifth-ranking job in leadership by defeating Rep. Marcy Kaptur (Ohio) for the vice chairmanship of the Caucus. Both Larson and Becerra are considered committed allies of the Speaker.

As expected, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (Md.) and Majority Whip James Clyburn (S.C.) were both tapped for another two years in their current leadership jobs.

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