Steny Hoyer is one of the most powerful men in Washington, but still plays second fiddle in terms of leadership among House Democrats to Nancy Pelosi.
A decade ago, Hoyer lost a bitter fight to Pelosi for House Minority Whip, easing the way for the San Francisco Democrat to ultimately replace Dick Gephardt as the leader of the Democratic Caucus. When the Democrats took over the House in 2006, Pelosi made history by becoming the first female Speaker of the House.
But Hoyer carries a lot of power. He's a prolific fundraiser, and this week (another one under the John Boehner-led Congress that takes a week off every month) he's in Florida lending his considerable heft to congressional aspirants, such as Keith Fitzgerald, Patrick Murphy, and Wednesday morning in St. Petersburg, Jessica Ehrlich. Ehrlich is the first-time candidate hoping to become the Democratic nominee later this summer to challenge GOP institution Bill Young in the newly drawn Congressional District 13 that encompasses much of Pinellas County.
Hoyer dominated the sit-down discussion held with Ehrlich held at her local campaign office in St. Petersburg, where eight local seniors (all affiliated with local Democratic clubs) and state legislator Rick Kriseman sat in a tight circle listening to Hoyer defend the health care reform law, Social Security and Medicare, trotting out the familiar themes that most Democrats believe in.
This article appears in May 24-30, 2012.