Rep. Bonior to Be Majority Whip

House Democrats selected liberal Rep. David E. Bonior (D-Mich.) Thursday to succeed departing Majority Whip William H. Gray III (D-Pa.) in their third-ranking leadership post.

Bonior, 46, easily defeated Rep. Steny P. Hoyer (D-Md.), chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, by a secret-ballot vote of 160 to 109. Hoyer was backed by many party moderates.

Bonior’s ascension is the latest in a series of changes in the House Democratic hierarchy, including a new Speaker, a new majority leader and three new whips in a little over two years.

The outcome was widely regarded as a personal, rather than ideological, victory for Bonior, a hard-working, unassuming lawmaker who served as chief deputy whip under Gray and his predecessor, former Rep. Tony Coelho (D-Merced).

Hoyer, 52, had few differences on the issues with his opponent but got off to a slow start and never caught up. He is known for his successful advocacy of the Americans with Disabilities Act and his work on the Helsinki human rights commission.

Bonior began campaigning for the post even before Gray announced that he would quit in mid-term to become president of the United Negro College Fund in September.

Gray’s personal finances are reported by sources close to the case to be under investigation by a federal grand jury in Philadelphia. Gray repeatedly has denied that he is under scrutiny and said he is resigning to accept a new challenge in the education field.

Powerful committee chairmen, including Rep. John D. Dingell (D-Mich.) of the Energy and Commerce Committee and Rep. Dan Rostenkowski (D-Ill.) of the Ways and Means Committee, lined up in support of Bonior.

Bonior has tended to vote with liberals in his party except on the issue of abortion, which he opposes. And he is less favorably inclined toward Israel than most Democrats. Bonior took a leading role in halting U.S. aid to the rebels in Nicaragua and is known for his support of Vietnam veterans.

Staff writer Ronald J. Ostrow contributed to this story.