Update: Republican Leadership Races

Well, I've spent the morning on state issues - and picking on Pelosi a little - so I'm a bit late on the House leadership races.

First we lost Steele (read the Rove connection to this at HotAir), now Pence has fallen hard.

(AP via NewsMax) Boehner defeated Indiana conservative Mike Pence. The vote tally was 168-27 with one vote for Texas Rep. Joe Barton. Boehner's election cements the Ohio conservative's resurrection within GOP leadership ranks. His elevation to succeed Hastert as the party's front line leader came despite unrest within the rank and file and a spirited campaign by Pence.

Hopes for Shadegg seem to be slipping away as well:

Roy Blunt, R-Mo., appeared poised to keep his post as whip, which will be the No. 2 GOP post when Republicans become the minority party in January. Blunt is currently the No. 3 House Republican, and he was favored to defeat Arizona conservative Rep. John Shadegg despite sentiment for fresh leadership faces.

We can only hope that some of what Pence has been saying will take hold:

"We did not just lose our majority . . . we lost our way," Pence said in a Thursday speech to his colleagues. "We are in the wilderness because we walked away from the limited-government principles that minted the Republican Congress."

Good stuff (on bad stuff) from Mary Katharine Ham at Townhall.

Captain Ed is developing a plan to get it all back (hat tip Malkin) - The First Principles Project - check it out.

More later on leadership fallout.