Republicans won a victory with the impeachment of Bill Clinton, but are fighting to regroup after Bob Livingston resigned from the job he was to assume next month as Speaker of the House.

The longtime Congressman stunned his colleagues on Saturday when he slipped the announcement into a speech he gave during the debate on the impeachment of U.S. President Bill Clinton. Livingston resigned just a few days after admitting to extra-marital affairs.

Livingston was to replace current House Speaker Newt Gingrich who quit following the mid-term congressional elections, when American voters rejected his party's attacks on President Clinton. He would have been the third most-powerful politician in the United States.

As well as backing off of the Speakers' job, Livingston is resigning his seat in the House and asking for a special election in Louisiana to replace him.

Livingston said he hoped Clinton would now resign. "I must set the example that I hope President Clinton will follow," he said.

The GOP is now rallying behind Dennis Hastert to be their new leader.

Republican majority leader Dick Armey, whip Tom DeLay and outgoing Speaker Newt Gingrich have all endorsed Hastert .

Former Klu Klux clan leader David Duke has said he will run for the Livingston's vacated seat. Duke said, "I am running because there needs to be one member of Congress who stands up for the European-American."