Majority Whip a Tough Decision for Boehner

Everyone expects Republicans to easily take control of the House in Tuesday’s elections. That should mean Minority Leader John Boehner [pictured] of Ohio becomes speaker and Minority Whip Eric Cantor of Virginia becomes majority leader. But the position of majority whip should present a wide open race, The Hill reports.

House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence of Indiana will likely run for president or governor and thus shy away from a leadership position in 2011. Some expect National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions of Texas to vie for whip. And others think Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, who is in charge of recruitment for the NRCC, is a viable candidate.

Boehner has a tough decision. Sessions is a longtime ally whose support was vital when the Ohio Republican fought off a battle from Rep. Roy Blunt for House majority leader in 2006. But McCarthy is Cantor’s deputy, and that could mean trouble for Boehner if he and Cantor are at odds next year.