Can Roy Blunt Handle The Pressure?

Blunt's performance may determine whether Republican lawmakers allow Blunt to serve in his post until after the 2006 congressional elections, or demand a vote for new party leaders in January. DeLay, 58, was forced to temporarily step aside in September after a grand jury in Austin, Texas, indicted him on money-laundering and conspiracy charges.

``It's a test'' for Blunt, said Representative Gil Gutknecht, a Minnesota Republican. ``We have to have a clear vision of where we're going, or people are going to say, `If you can't handle this thing, we'll find some people who can.'''