Republicans in the House of Representatives Need a New Leader and a New Image

The former majority leader, Tom DeLay, stepped down after he was indicted in a Texas fundraising case and linked to crooked lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

So where is the GOP seeking this fresh face and new start? With two lawmakers - Roy Blunt of Missouri and John Boehner of Ohio - who have cozy relations with lobbyists and a penchant for accepting perks from corporate friends.

A third candidate for majority leader, John Shadegg of Arizona, is less enmeshed with the lobbying establishment and high-powered fundraising. That's one reason he's given virtually no chance of winning. Politicians who don't raise big money and spread it around to colleagues don't often find themselves in line to be congressional leaders.

We don't presume to tell House Republicans which of their colleagues to pick when they vote next Thursday, but the public has a big stake in the outcome. The majority leader, second only to the House speaker on the leadership ladder, has a key role in setting Congress' agenda. DeLay, for example, was the driving force behind the impeachment of President Clinton.

The leadership race demonstrates how Congress' corrupt culture extends beyond DeLay and Abramoff.

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