When Bob Menendez was a congressman in 2002, he ran for House Democratic Caucus Chairman – the number three leadership post – and beat Rosa DeLauro (D-Connecticut) by just one vote, 104 to 103.
House Democrats had several leadership contests after the 2002 elections: Minority Leader Dick Gephardt stepped down to focus on his upcoming presidential run, Minority Whip David Bonior left early to run for governor of Michigan, and Democratic Conference Chairman Martin Frost, who wound up losing re-election, was term-limited.
Nancy Pelosi defeated Harold Ford by a 177 to 29 vote to become minority leader. Steny Hoyer was elected whip, and James Clyburn became caucus vice chairman.
Menendez had won the caucus vice chairmanship in 1998 when Barbara Kennelly left to run for governor of Connecticut. He was now ready to move up in the ranks of the House leadership, perhaps with a shot at someday becoming Speaker.
Tom Feeley, a Colorado state senator running for an open House seat, cast the winning vote. Republican Bob Beauprez led Feeley by 122 votes out of 152,838. With a recount set for after the November 14 leadership vote, Feeley and Beauprez headed to Washington for freshman orientation.
Gephardt allowed Feeley to vote in a contested race for House Minority Leader and Democratic Conference Chair.
Feeley voted for Menendez – the deciding vote, as it turned out.
It took five weeks to count the votes in Colorado. When the recount was over, Feeley lost by 121.
Menendez passed on a chance to run for the Senate six weeks earlier when Bob Torricelli dropped out of the race. He was already committed to seeking the leadership post. Three years later, after Jon Corzine was elected governor, Menendez decided he didn’t want to wait for Pelosi and Hoyer to leave, so he pursued the U.S. Senate seat. He wasn’t Corzine’s first choice, but Menendez threatened to run in a primary against the appointed senator, and Corzine didn’t want the problem.
Clyburn took Menendez’s place as Democratic Conference Chairman.