Southwest Missouri Congressman Roy Blunt, the Republican Whip in the U.S. House of Representatives, will not run for that leadership position when lawmakers convene the next Congress in January.
Blunt, who first went to Capitol Hill in 1997, previously served as Missouri’s Secretary of State. He became a Deputy Whip in 1999 and moved into the top spot when Congressman Tom DeLay (R-TX) became Majority Leader. In 2006, Blunt attempted to become Majority Leader in the U.S. House, which would have put him on the path to becoming House Speaker, but he lost the contest to Congressman John Boehner (R-OH).
In the wake of Tuesday’s election results, the current Deputy Whip – Congressman Eric Cantor (R-VA) - announced he would run for the top job.