Top Senate Posts to Remain Intact for the 103rd Term : Congress: GOP challenges by younger members are seen as a quest for more aggressive leadership.

The Senate voted Tuesday to keep its top leadership essentially intact for the 103rd Congress, despite a challenge by GOP conservatives to take over the party’s whip post as a prelude to a possible internal struggle after the defeat of President Bush.

Majority Leader George J. Mitchell (D-Me.), Minority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) and their top lieutenants all were reelected in party caucuses. There were no challenges to incumbent Democratic officers.

Sen. Alan K. Simpson (R-Wyo.) retained the No. 2 GOP job as minority whip, brushing off a takeover bid by Sen. Slade Gorton (R-Wash.). The vote was 25 to 14.

Although Gorton and Simpson are not that different ideologically, Gorton was seen as the candidate of the party’s younger and more conservative members who want more combative, aggressive leadership once President Bush leaves the White House and the Republicans become an opposition party.

In another challenge by conservatives, Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) beat Sens. Christopher S. Bond (R-Mo.) and Frank H. Murkowski (R-Alaska) for the post of secretary of the Senate Republican Conference. The job had been held by Sen. Bob Kasten (R-Wis.), who was defeated in the Nov. 3 election.

“Senate Republicans are changing,” said Lott, alluding to the younger generation of Republicans. “If we can get those guys more engaged, you will see a more dynamic force around here.”

In a third race, Sen. Phil Gramm (R-Tex.) won reelection as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, overcoming a challenge by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). But the vote was 20 to 19.

McConnell’s bid was viewed as an attempt to prevent Gramm from using the post to boost his expected bid for the White House in 1996. McConnell lost to Gramm in 1990.

The campaign committee raised $16 million under Gramm’s leadership, an all-time record, but the Texan failed to meet his goal of regaining control of the Senate from the Democrats.

Republicans suffered a net loss of one seat in the Senate this year, bringing their total to 42 senators out of 100. Gramm blamed the drop in popularity suffered by Bush this year as the reason for the party’s failure to win more Senate seats.

Dole’s reelection as minority leader will make him the nation’s top Republican elected official when Bush leaves office Jan. 20. Dole has been minority leader since 1987, after a brief stint as majority leader from 1985-87 during the time the Republicans controlled the Senate.

The only contest among the Democrats was for the vacancy left by defeated Sen. Alan J. Dixon (D-Ill.) as chief deputy whip. The post was won by Sen. John B. Breaux (D-La.).

Other Democratic leaders reelected Tuesday include Sens. Wendell H. Ford of Kentucky, whip; David Pryor of Arkansas, secretary of the party conference; and Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia, president pro tempore.

The 103rd Congress convenes on Jan. 5.

Senate Leaders

Here are the Democratic and Republican leaders of the Senate, selected by their respective party caucuses Tuesday:

DEMOCRATS

Majority Leader (responsible for managing the Senate): George J. Mitchell, Maine.

Whip (helps rally Democrats to support the party’s position): Wendell H. Ford, Kentucky.

Secretary of Conference (manages Democratic caucus): David Pryor, Arkansas.

Chief Deputy Whip (assists whip): John B. Breaux, Louisiana.

President Pro Tempore (presides in absence of vice president): Robert C. Byrd, West Virginia.

Chairman, Democratic Senate Campaign Committee (oversees party aid to senatorial candidates): Charles S. Robb, Virginia, will continue to serve through the remainder of the year because of two Senate races that remain undecided, in Georgia and North Dakota. A successor will be chosen when the new Congress convenes in January.

Co-chairman, Democratic Policy Committee (sets Democratic policy): Thomas A. Daschle, South Dakota.

Chairman, Democratic Steering Committee (makes committee assignments): Daniel K. Inouye, Hawaii.

REPUBLICANS

Minority Leader (responsible for managing Senate Republican affairs): Bob Dole, Kansas.

Whip (rallies Republicans to support party’s positions): Alan K. Simpson, Wyoming.

Conference Chairman (heads Republican caucus): Thad Cochran, Mississippi.

Secretary of Conference (helps operate GOP caucus): Trent Lott, Mississippi.

Policy Chairman (sets policy for Senate Republicans): Don Nickles, Oklahoma.

Chairman, Republican Senatorial Committee (oversees party aid to senatorial candidates): Phil Gramm, Texas.

Source: Times staff and wire reports