Lugar Defeats Helms for Panel Leadership
Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) Tuesday lost the first round of his effort to become the ranking minority member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee when fellow GOP members of the panel voted 7 to 0 to support their former chairman, Sen. Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.).
However, Helms has vowed to seek a vote of all 45 Republican senators on the issue next week.
The staunchly conservative Helms had the seniority two years ago to take the Foreign Relations chairmanship, but he permitted the more moderate Lugar to assume the high-profile post in order to keep his commitment to North Carolina voters to lead the Agriculture Committee. Following this November’s elections, however, Helms asserted a claim to the leadership spot, citing his seniority under Senate rules.
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