Armey Halted; DeLay Marches On

By KAREN TUMULTY

House majority leader Dick Armey's announcement last week that he will retire came as a surprise to most of his colleagues. But it has been clear to those around him that Armey hasn't been having much fun. The conservative Republican was beaten down and marginalized in his behind-the-scenes power struggle with majority whip (and fellow Texan) Tom DeLay, and has been edged aside in the day-to-day House operation by Speaker Denny Hastert, who is more engaged than predecessor Newt Gingrich.

DeLay is almost sure to get Armey's job. But his effort to consolidate his power in the House may run into resistance. DeLay, who engineered the ascension of his deputy Hastert to Speaker in 1998, wants his current deputy, Roy Blunt of Missouri, to succeed him as whip. Some House Republicans are balking at giving the hard-line DeLay so large a power base. At least seven other Republicans are considering a run for the No. 3 spot. "People really like Blunt," says a key G.O.P. strategist, "but this isn't about him."

--By Karen Tumulty