Arizona Rep. John Shadegg's longshot bid to become the No. 2 GOP leader in the House got a boost Thursday when he was endorsed by the leader of a group of more than 100 conservative lawmakers.

"We need leadership with the energy and vision to steer this Congress back to our roots of fiscal discipline, limited government and traditional values," said Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana, chairman of the Republican Study Committee.

More than one-half of the 110-member committee had endorsed a candidate in the race to succeed Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, as majority leader.

About 40 had endorsed the acting majority leader, Rep. Roy Blunt of Missouri, the front-runner. Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, who claims more than 40 public supporters, counts about 15 members of the study committee in his camp.

“I am giving my support to John Shadegg for Majority Leader believing that John is best suited to address the challenges our nation is facing.

“John and I are classmates from the election of 1994, a class that aimed and made considerable strides in changing the way things are done in Washington. John and I have worked together on critical issues including balancing the budget, cutting taxes, and making government more responsive to the people.

“As we look ahead to address the challenges before us over the next year and into the future, I trust John to lead. John is a conservative who is willing to fight for the values that set us apart from Democrats and I look forward to serving with him as the next Majority Leader in the House of Representatives.”

Republicans now are scheduled to vote for their new majority leader on Feb. 2. There's a clear choice available who's not an echo. The party and its faithful deserve the clarity that only a John Shadegg can bring and the rebirth that only a good Goldwater conservative can deliver.

That leaves Shadegg, who by all accounts hasn't lost the zeal for reform or the conservative principles he had when, as a brand-new congressman, he put his name on the Contract with America.

The "Republican revolution" that began in 1994 has stalled, and it's going to take a revolution within the caucus to get it going again. Americans await the third element from Newt Gingrich's playbook: Do as you've promised.

At least Shadegg remembers the promises.

I believe John Shadegg will lead our Conference to refocus on our core values and ideas. John is grounded in those fundamental values and possesses the practical skills of governance that will enable him to shape an agenda with the active participation of all members of our conference.

We must escape the cloud of recent events that have so fundamentally distracted from the positive things that Republican leadership have accomplished. John is the clear choice for change and moving us forward.

Bass, Flake Endorse Shadegg

Moderate/Conservative Duo That Pushed for Leadership Election Back True Reform Candidate for Majority Leader. [...] Bass and Flake, like Pence, had originally indicated that they would refrain from endorsing in a race between Blunt and Boehner, but Shadegg's entrance in the race changed that dynamic.