House Budget Committee Chairman Tom Price (GA-6) is in the race to become the next House Majority Leader.

One of the fears that many of us had with the resignation of Boehner was that it would be a case of everyone of his minions moving up. Tom Price has locked up early endorsements from Jeb Hensarling and [mc_name name=’Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’R000570′ ]:

Texas GOP [mc_name name=’Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’H001036′ ] will not run for any leadership position but will instead back [mc_name name=’Rep. Tom Price (R-GA)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’P000591′ ]’s (R-Ga.) bid for majority leader, a Hensarling aide said on Monday.

Hensarling, who was in leadership, is currently chairman of the Financial Services Committee and a high-profile conservative.

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House Ways and Means Chairman [mc_name name=’Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’R000570′ ] is throwing his weight behind [mc_name name=’Rep. Tom Price (R-GA)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’P000591′ ] for majority leader, a significant boost for the Georgia Republican, and a blow to [mc_name name=’Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’S001176′ ] (R-La.) and others who are vying for the spot.

Price is quickly gathering a good deal of conservative support for his bid for the No. 2 House GOP leadership slot. [mc_name name=’Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’H001036′ ] (R-Texas) also endorsed Price Monday.

“Tom Price is a committed conservative and a good friend,” Ryan said in a statement. “He and I have served for years together on the Budget and Ways and Means Committees, working to pay down our debt, fix our tax code, and grow our economy. Tom has a proven record of advancing conservative solutions and principles. He has the knowledge and skills needed to be an effective Majority Leader, and I’m proud to support him.”

Price is facing Scalise (R-La.), the House majority whip, and House Republican Conference Chairman [mc_name name=’Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA)’ chamber=’house’ mcid=’M001159′ ] (R-Wash.) for the second-ranking position in GOP leadership. Ryan endorsed Price in his 2014 race for conference chair, which he lost to McMorris Rodgers.

McCarthy is in the race for Speaker and must be considered the early favorite. Steve Scalise has announced that he is running for majority leader and it must be assumed that McMorris Rodgers is also going to launch a bid. As I noted over the weekend, replacing Scalise and McMorris Rodgers is much more critical to changing the direction of the House than is electing a Speaker. Hensarling and Ryan coalescing behind Price, though, is going to make Scalise’s job much more difficult and McMorris Rodgers’s task becomes nearly impossible.

I must admit to not knowing a lot about Price but if Hensarling, and to a lesser extent Ryan, endorse him it is a sign that he will be a strong voice for conservatives in Congress.