Texan to challenge Ensign for Republican leadership post

Wednesday, July 20, 2005 | 9:44 a.m.

SUN WASHINGTON BUREAU

WASHINGTON -- Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, appears likely to challenge Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., in his bid for a post in Senate Republican leadership, setting up a battle of freshmen senators.

Rather than running unopposed, Ensign is now campaigning -- lobbying for support among his 54 GOP Senate colleagues -- to be the next vice chairman of the Senate Republican Caucus.

The Republican Caucus, made up of the Senate's 55 GOP members, will elect new leaders in a secret ballot after the 2006 elections. The conference vice chairman's job includes helping to craft and spread Republican message, and could make him more visible on a national stage.

Cornyn has not officially announced his bid, but has been talking to colleagues, a spokesman said today. Cornyn has been asking them to "keep an open mind" about the race Cornyn told The Hill, a Capitol Hill newspaper.

Ensign and Cornyn are friends despite the new competition, Ensign spokesman Jack Finn said.

"They've talked about it (the race), and they'll just let their colleagues decide," Finn said.

Ensign had considered running for the Republican Policy Committee chairman's post, considered the No. 4 job in leadership hierarchy. But he opted to pursue the Republican Conference vice chairman's seat, considered the No. 5 post, rather than deal with a leadership fight when Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, announced her interest in the policy chairman's job.

Cornyn, a former state attorney general and Texas Supreme Court member, was elected to the Senate in 2002. Ensign was elected to the Senate in 2000.