Posted on 12/06/2007 12:56:57 PM PST by Baladas
AP) Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl was named to the No. 2 Republican leadership post by his colleagues in the Senate Thursday, his office announced.
Kyl ran unopposed for the minority whip post and was the unanimous choice of the Senate Republican Conference when they met to vote. He replaces Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi, who announced last week that he plans to retire before the end of the year.
The minority whip plays a major role in developing national Republican policies and is responsible for corralling votes from GOP senators to support those policies.
"I am honored that my colleagues have placed their confidence in me to serve as the new Assistant Republican Leader," Kyl said in a statement. "Trent Lott is a dear friend of mine, and although no one will be able to fill his shoes, I have learned a great deal from his leadership and hope to continue in that spirit."
Kyl, 65, was elected to the Senate in 1994 and re-elected in 2000 and 2006. He previously served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Senate Republicans also chose Lamar Alexander of Tennessee to be their third-ranking leader, turning aside a bid by Richard Burr of North Carolina. Kyl had previously held the post.
Alexander, a former governor and presidential candidate, was elected chairman of the Republican Conference in secret balloting at a closed meeting in the Capitol.
Burr is considered more conservative than Alexander, who prides himself on being a consensus-seeker on various issues.
Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell remains the Senate Republican leader.
Kyl was for Shamnesty.
Tennessee agreement dittos.
Yes, he was... and this is significant. It seems the RINOs are more concerned with keeping power than with winning elections. Too bad.
Ok Arizona folks, what do ya know and think of Kyle?
Kyle is a staunch conservative....You can check his record...Of course he blew it big time with the amnesty fiasco. He took alot of heat, but would not back down on the issue. Still hasn’t as far as I know.
Very good man.
Anyone who is for amnesty is no conservative, period!
And they say amnesty isn’t going to be a major issue by next election day - they wish.
That's one way to say rino. The only reason he voted correctly on this particular cloture vote was because we, his constituents, (those he doesn't want to hear from) beat the snot out of him with his phone.
He was for Amnesty no matter what the Arizona folks think of him.
Except for his incredibly annoying support for an amnesty bill earlier this year, Kyl has a solid conservative Republican record.
Except for his incredibly annoying deal to hand over West Point to General Henry Clinton, Benedict Arnold had a solid Continental Army record.
I will not forget Kyl’s backstabbing on the amnesty bill. He not only co-sponsored it but he participated with Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid and Ted Kennedy in trying the “clay pigeon” strategy to push through cloture. This after running a few months before in the Nov 06 election as opposed to amnesty. The election of Alexander also shows the RINO wing is in firm control of the Republican caucus in the Senate.
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