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11:05 a.m. | Updated: Shuler Considers Run Top House Democrats said late Friday night that they had settled on an arrangement that avoided a divisive fight for the No. 2 position in the party when it reverts to the minority in January.

In a statement, Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she would nominate Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina to be the No. 3 Democrat when the party holds an internal party election on Wednesday.

“Over the past four years, Congressman Clyburn’s effective leadership in the whip’s office was crucial to our passage of historic legislation on jobs, health care, veterans and Wall Street reform on behalf of the American people,” Ms. Pelosi said.

Since Ms. Pelosi decided to run for Democratic leader despite the loss of more than 60 seats in the midterm elections, Mr. Clyburn was competing with Representative Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, the No. 2 Democrat and majority leader, for the slot beneath Ms. Pelosi. As the new minority party, Democrats would typically lose one top spot since they will relinquish the speakership.

Ms. Pelosi’s statement did not define the new job but made it clear it would rate above the caucus chairmanship, which typically would be the No. 3 position for the party in the minority.

The competition between Mr. Hoyer and Mr. Clyburn had the potential to cause hard feelings. As the highest ranking African-American in Congress, Mr. Clyburn had the support of the Congressional Black Caucus, while Mr. Hoyer was backed by many remaining party moderates and senior Democratic committee members. Mr. Hoyer appeared to have been ahead in the race.

Ms. Pelosi has run into resistance from some House Democrats about seeking the minority leader’s spot, but she appears to have the support of the majority of House Democrats, who value her fund-raising ability. No one has formally announced plans to oppose her, although Heath Shuler, the three-term Democrat from North Carolina, has said that he would run for minority leader himself if no alternative emerged to Ms. Pelosi (though he admitted that he would be an underdog).

Mr. Shuler, a member of the Blue Dog coalition in the House, was one of the first Democrats to call for Ms. Pelosi to step down as leader after the election-night defeat.

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