Over at the TPM website there is a report that Steny Hoyer is in the lead with colleagues willing to publically support his candidacy for Minority Whip against James Clyburn – the apparent choice of Nancy Pelosi.

Thirty House Democrats from across the political spectrum have signed on to a letter supporting Steny Hoyer in his race against Jim Clyburn to be Minority Whip next Congress.

We are writing to encourage you to join us in supporting Steny Hoyer as our next House Democratic Whip. We know that this is a trying time for our country and our party-but the first step in standing up for the middle-class and winning back the House majority is electing a strong leadership team to unify our Caucus. Majority Leader Hoyer has been an essential part of our Caucus’s leadership in the 111th Congress, and we need his leadership in the days ahead. (An excerpt from the  Dear Colleague letter)

Congressman Stephen Lynch of South Boston and the 9th CD is one the letter’s signatories along with John Dingle-  longtime member from Michigan, Jerrod Nadler of Manhattan/NY and Linda Sanchez of  California – an active member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

If a compromise is worked out between Hoyer and Clyburn it will probably mean that someone else currently in the leadership would be squeezed out.

Read the full article and the letter here.