Barton is Laying Down the Law on E&C Committee Against Upton

Jillian Bandes | December 02, 2010 9:08 AM

The battle for the fight to chair the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee is vicious. The lead competitor, Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) is pitted against the more-conservative Joe Barton from Texas.

Barton's biggest problem, it seems, is the unwieldy term-limit rules, which will probably kick him in the butt — unless he starts throwing his weight around. Politico:

While the Texas Republican is expected to lose his chairman’s bid before the influential Steering Committee, he could still appeal to the entire House GOP Conference, seeking the support of rank-and-file Republicans while testing Speaker-in-waiting John Boehner's leadership.

Barton on Wednesday told POLITICO that he's not ready to discuss his next steps if the Steering Committee doesn't pick him. Instead, he insisted he will prevail early next week when the secretive Republican steering panel packed with Boehner loyalists makes its decision.

Politico cites a host of other R's who don't think this subversive plan will actually work.