Rep. Steny Hoyer expressed confidence last night that he has the votes to become the Democratic majority leader, which would make the ’63 university alumnus the highest-ranking member of Congress to serve Maryland.
Hoyer, who represents the district where College Park lies, became House minority whip four years ago when he competed against Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for the top leadership post and lost. But Pelosi, who will become Speaker of the House next year, voiced support for Iraq war critic Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) yesterday, leading some party insiders to speculate that Pelosi may still feel the sting of competition from 2002.
It’s also revealed some surface divisions between two party leaders who may have more in common than what they disagree about. Pelosi and Hoyer are both native to Maryland – Pelosi is the daughter of Thomas D’Alesandro, Jr., a former Baltimore mayor, and Hoyer grew up in Mitchellville before becoming the youngest president of the state Senate. Pelosi and Hoyer also share the same brand of liberal politics so common in blue states like Maryland and California, while Murtha is opposed to gun control and abortion.
But Hoyer told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer last night that any perceived divisions between he and Pelosi were overblown, and that he expected Pelosi’s support for her old ally Murtha.
“This did not come as a surprise … no votes are changing,” Hoyer said. “Much is made of the conflict that, frankly, Nancy and I agree doesn’t exist. Nancy and I work together very cooperatively.”
Still, most pundits acknowledge that Pelosi and Hoyer’s relationship has been rocky at best, while a closeness between Pelosi and Murtha emerged in the wake of Murtha’s withdrawal of support for the Iraq war. Polls have shown Democrats regained control of both houses of Congress for the first time in 12 years largely because of dissipating public support for the war.
Hoyer, however, has worked within party ranks to build support, and his spokesman told reporters yesterday they believe more than two-thirds of freshman House Democrats support Hoyer. According to USA Today, Hoyer was also an energetic campaigner this election season, traveling to more than 80 congressional districts and raising more than $600,000 for candidates.
Locally, Hoyer has played a major role in securing federal funding for the university, which has resulted in several research centers here, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration building undergoing construction at university-owned research park M-Square.
“He has worked hard to provide funding at the university and I think he would continue to use his standing in congress to fight for the issues important to Maryland families,” Hoyer’s spokesman, Tim Shlisttner said. “As long as Congressman Hoyer is serving, the University of Maryland will have a great friend in government.”
Though Pelosi has not lived in Baltimore since she got married more than 40 years ago, she has strong ties to the city where she kept a political ledger of political favors owed and performed for her father during his mayoral terms and where her brother also served as mayor.
“She still has a strong affection for the city of Baltimore and the state,” Pelosi’s spokesman Drew Hammill said, though that affection may not extend to ties between Hoyer and her. “You have to understand they’ve had their differences, [but] their leadership over the last congressional cycle shows that they can work together.”
Even if they can put aside their differences, government and politics professor Frances Lee said she believes there could be lingering feelings of bitterness after Pelosi’s support for Murtha.
“It’s undoubtedly a problem [for Hoyer] given that she went out on a limb for Murtha,” Lee said. “It’s only natural that it would exacerbate the antagonism between them.”
Lee said from issue to issue, Pelosi’s stands more with Hoyer than with Murtha, but her allegiance had to be with him given her history with Murtha and after he asked for a letter of support.
“He’s not a left-wing member of the caucus,” Lee said. “He’s more likely to vote with Republicans than Hoyer is.”
While Hoyer has a long history of supporting his alma mater, if he is elected it is not clear whether the role will translate to more help for the university.
“Most decisions that a majority leader makes doesn’t have anything to do with the distribution of dollars across the states,” Lee said. “[But] on balance, a state is somewhat better off having representation in the leadership.”
Contact reporter Owen Praskievicz at praskieviczdbk@gmail.com.
