Contact: Bob Sturm, 703-396-6974; After 6 PM Eastern, Bob Sturm or Cynthia Chambliss, 703-307-8176 or 703-930-5148; ConservativeHQ.com

MANASSAS, Virginia, Nov. 21 /Christian Newswire/ -- The replacement of three Republican leaders in the House of Representatives is "good news," Richard A. Viguerie, chairman of ConservativeHQ.com, said. "But it's just a start."

The party whip, conference chairman, and campaign chairman were all replaced by members of the House GOP's conservative caucus.

Said Viguerie, "These changes are encouraging. Republicans need leaders who will return the party to principled conservatism, and away from the corruption, incompetence, and Big Government Republicanism of the Bush era."

An effort to unseat John Boehner from his position as House Minority Leader was unsuccessful. Asked if the changes in other positions represented a trend toward conservatism among House Republicans, Boehner said "right or left" was not an issue:  "That's minimizing and marginalizing the situation. I think our members are trying to avoid that."

"Typical," said Viguerie. "Another case of a Republican official who doesn't understand the importance of conservatism to the party's brand.

"Meanwhile, Senate Republicans kept pretty much the same leadership. The outgoing head of the Senate campaign committee said that they had suffered from 'circumstances out of our control'.

"As Tim Carney of the Evans & Novak Political Report put it, 'amid all the talk of renewing the party or returning to its roots, House and Senate Republicans appear to be settling in as a comfortable minority without much change from the last two years'."

"That attitude is unacceptable," said Viguerie. "Republicans need to replace their leaders at the federal, state, and local level, in both elected office and in party organizations. Those leaders must be principled conservatives who will rock the boat - not members of a comfortable minority.

"Until the GOP changes its leadership up-and-down the line, and changes its attitude, conservatives should continue to withhold financial and volunteer support from all Republican Party-related organizations, except for some state and local groups that adhere to conservative ideas."

NOTE TO EDITORS: Richard Viguerie pioneered political direct mail and has been called "one of the creators of the modern conservative movement" (The Nation) and one of the "conservatives of the century" (Washington Times).