INDIANAPOLIS -- Conservative Indiana Rep. Mike Pence has been recruited by GOP Leader John Boehner, of Ohio, to serve as chairman of the Republican conference.

Pence's new role is the No. 3 leadership position. Florida Rep. Adam Putnam vacated the post on election night.

Pence, 49, easily won re-election Tuesday to the seat he first won in 2000 representing much of eastern Indiana. Pence challenged Boehner two years ago for the minority leader post, but lost by a wide margin.

Pence's elevation comes on the same day that Missouri Rep. Roy Blunt, the No. 2 Republican in the House, announced that he is stepping aside after Democrats expanded their congressional majorities and captured the White House.

Blunt said he had long ago decided that if Republicans did not reclaim the majority in Tuesday's elections, he would step down from the difficult job of shepherding votes.

"Ten years of asking people to do some things they don't want to do is a long time," Blunt, 58, told reporters Thursday morning. "I can tell you more problems about more members of Congress than you'll ever want to hear, I can tell you more reasons not to do something than you'll ever want to hear."

Blunt's move avoids a difficult intraparty battle with protege Eric Cantor, a Virginia Republican who's already campaigning for the job of Republican whip.

Blunt said it's time for a new generation of Republicans to assume leadership roles. Cantor is 45.