Dumbass loses bid for Republican Senate leadership post

[undeterred]

Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson loses bid for Republican Senate leadership post to Roy Blunt of Missouri

WASHINGTON — Sen. Ron Johnson’s outsider bid for a Senate Republican leadership post ended Tuesday, as colleagues chose a more mainstream Missourian for the fifth spot in the party hierarchy. Senate Republicans voted 25-22 for Roy Blunt, who like Johnson is in his first year as a senator, to serve as conference vice chairman. The Missouri Republican spent 14 years in the House of Representatives including leadership positions as majority whip and, briefly, majority leader. He is regarded as an establishment Republican with a coveted fundraising network.

In voting for Blunt, the GOP caucus rejected Johnson’s appeal as an outsider who would bring a new and unique perspective to the leadership table as a former Oshkosh businessman. But the freshman was neither bitter nor bowed by his defeat. ”I’m disappointed with the results,” Johnson told a scrum of reporters outside the caucus room where the secret balloting took place during the GOP caucus’s weekly policy meeting. ”But I’m not dispirited at all.”

Johnson, who embraces tea party principles but is not a member of the Senate tea party caucus, said he ran because he felt it was important to have the voice of a private sector businessman, someone new to Washington, in leadership. The caucus, instead, ”went with someone with a different voice and a different set of skills,” Johnson said. ”That’s fine.”

The close vote reflected the standing Johnson has gained among his colleagues in the 11 months he has been in Washington. Johnson has become a leading conservative voice on fiscal restraint and a smaller government. He thanked his supporters and congratulated Blunt. Blunt said the GOP caucus engaged in a ”very spirited discussion” before the vote.

http://www.thenorthwestern.com/article/20111213/OSH0101/111213133/Wisconsin-Sen-Ron-Johnson-loses-bid-Republican-Senate-leadership-post-Roy-Blunt-Missouri

[Scuba]

1. Sunspot Johnson is indeed a dumbass. n/t

[a kennedy]

2. I can't believe this guy is in the senate....ugh

I miss Russ terribly.