Heath Shuler to Mount Symbolic Challenge to Pelosi

In what is likely to amount to a symbolic protest against outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, North Carolina Democrat Heath Shuler will vote for himself, not Pelosi, for House Speaker in a vote on Wednesday, he told Roll Call on Monday.

"I personally feel and I think others still feel like, even after what happened in the last election, we're still not being heard," Shuler, a moderate Democrat, told Roll Call. "The American people heard it. That's for sure. ... We think we represent the masses."

Shuler also said he was "aware of others who are going to be casting their vote" for him over Pelosi in the Wednesday vote, though he declined to target the possible number of Pelosi defections.

Shuler, a member of the Blue Dog caucus of relatively conservative Democrats, has been an outspoken critic of Pelosi in the weeks since November's midterm elections, largely blaming the outgoing speaker for heavy losses sustained by the Democratic party - losses which were particularly heavy among Democrats in more conservative districts.

Criticizing Pelosi for promoting what he deemed an overly liberal agenda, Shuler also mounted a challenge to Pelosi's bid for the House Minority Leader position - with a purpose he described as ensuring that moderate Democrats were granted "a seat at the table."

"It wasn't about winning or losing this race," Shuler told reporters after the leadership election in November, which he lost in by 150 to 43. "It was about truly making a difference within our caucus, to ensure that the moderates were heard... I think that's what most of America would ask."

Taking a stand against Pelosi during the Wednesday vote - which is conducted in the form of a live roll call (in contrast to November's vote, which was a secret ballot) - would likely bear more consequences for Democratic congressmen this time around. Still, Blue Dog House Democrats Jim Matheson and Mike Ross of Arkansas have already pledged their public support for Shuler.

One democratic leadership aide told Roll Call, however, that he doubted Pelosi would take action against Democrats who voted against her.

"I would be surprised if there was any whip operation," the source told Roll Call in an interview. "Pelosi needs to pick her battles. This vote doesn't really matter. She will probably just let it go and downplay it."