Blue Dog Will Challenge Pelosi

Nancy Pelosi, meet your new rival: Representative Heath Shuler will challenge outgoing Speaker Pelosi for the top Democratic spot in the next Congress. Shuler will officially announce his candidacy for the position on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday and MSNBC's Morning Joe on Monday. The Blue Dog Democrat from the mountains of North Carolina pitched himself as a moderate alternative to Pelosi before the speaker of the House announced her bid to be the next minority leader. Most observers say Pelosi, who presided over Democrats' passage of several major pieces of legislation during the past two years, will have no trouble securing the post; Shuler told a local newspaper that he views himself as an underdog in the race and "probably can't win."