Moorhead in Struggle for Influence on House Panel : Politics: The Glendale Republican could become the ranking minority member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, but some colleagues question his toughness.

Rep. Carlos J. Moorhead (R-Glendale), who is in line for the powerful post of ranking minority member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, faces a stiff challenge from a colleague amid concerns of some Republicans that Moorhead is not tough enough for the job.

“I’m being urged by a number of members to go” for it, six-term Rep. Thomas J. Bliley Jr. (R-Va.) said Monday. “Basically, they feel I would provide stronger leadership.”

Bliley is second in line behind Moorhead to replace retiring Rep. Norman F. Lent (R-N.Y.). Nevertheless, such internecine committee conflict--which will commence with a key vote today--is rare among congressional Republicans.

The post could make Moorhead an important proponent of California’s interests on a broad array of issues. Conversely, a defeat would be embarrassing.

At stake is an influential position on a committee that handles legislation affecting virtually every industry in America, including health, energy, transportation, telecommunications and environmental issues. The powers of the position include selecting the ranking members of various subcommittees, appointing dozens of staffers and directing millions of dollars in resources.

Moorhead, 70, badly wants the job, which would make him the leading Republican negotiator with Energy and Commerce Chairman John D. Dingell (D-Mich.). This would greatly enhance his clout at a time when the panel is expected to delve into such major issues as national health care reform and reauthorization of the Superfund law to clean up toxic waste.

The soft-spoken Moorhead, an 18-year House veteran, is amiable and well liked. Both he and Bliley are bedrock conservatives. But, according to some of those close to Bliley, Moorhead is not seen as sufficiently outspoken and aggressive to take on the combative, often intimidating Dingell and a Democratic administration.

“When you’ve got Democrats controlling Congress and the White House, to be heard, Republicans are going to have to be loud and they are going to have to present their issues on the merits in a partisan fashion,” said a House staffer who is a Bliley partisan. “There’s some concern” that Moorhead won’t be able to do this effectively.

Rep. David Dreier (R-La Verne), who has been actively campaigning for Moorhead, rejected this assertion. “Carlos, in his quiet way, has this amazing expertise,” Dreier said. “He gives new meaning to the term workhorse .”

Moorhead has been intensively lobbying colleagues for the post for weeks, an aide said.

“In some ways, Carlos’ ability to work well with Dingell and the Democrats may suit us well,” said David Joergenson, a legislative assistant to Moorhead. “They have their hands on all the big levers of power. What we’ve got is just our ability to negotiate.”

The Republican Committee on Committees--comprising 22 members representing all the states, the GOP leadership and the party’s freshmen and sophomore classes--is scheduled to vote today on the ranking-member slots as well as other committee assignments.

Each state or region’s vote is prorated to its number of representatives--giving California 22 of the 176 members’ tallies. In addition, the Republican leader has 12 votes; the whip, six, and the sophomore and freshmen class representatives a total of eight.

The Committee on Committees’ recommendations are then sent to the entire Republican conference, which will begin deliberating on committee posts Wednesday. Traditionally, the conference tends to ratify these recommendations.

With the expected backing of the California delegation, Moorhead is considered the favorite. But the ouster by Rep. Dick Armey (R-Tex.) of California Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Redlands) as conference chairman Monday prompted some to wonder if Moorhead might be swept aside by the winds of change or a backlash against California’s newly expanded clout.

“I don’t think he’s going to have a problem but, of course, the Lewis thing casts a little different light on it,” said a Moorhead staffer. “If the rebellion is afoot. . . .”