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

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.