Skip to content

Shuler Will Be Nominated for Blue Dog Leadership

The Blue Dog Coalition is readying its leadership slate for the 112th Congress and is expected to install Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) as one of three co-chairmen.

The nominating committee for the fiscally conservative Democratic group is putting forward its slate at a meeting Tuesday, and the Blue Dogs are expected to hold a vote. Two of the three co-chairmen — Reps. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (S.D.) and Baron Hill (Ind.) — were among more than two dozen Blue Dogs who lost their seats in the midterm elections.

A spokeswoman for the group did not respond to a press inquiry.

Shuler, an outspoken critic of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), will be nominated for administration co-chairman, according to sources familiar with the slate.  Rep. John Barrow (Ga.) will be nominated policy co-chairman, and Rep. Mike Ross (Ark.) will be nominated communications co-chairman.

Rep. Jim Matheson (Utah) is the current communications co-chairman, but he will also be nominated, along with Rep. Dennis Cardoza (Calif.), to lead the fundraising efforts of the Blue Dog’s powerful political action committee. Rep. Dan Boren (Okla.) will assume the whip position should the slate be approved. Shuler is the current whip.

Recent Stories

After loss in mayor’s race, Jackson Lee faces decision

High-speed routes biggest winners in latest rail funding round

Appeals court upholds most of Trump gag order in DC case

Kevin Up — Congressional Hits and Misses

House GOP cites new Hunter Biden charges in impeachment push

Congress must protect our servicemembers by reauthorizing Section 702