Pelosi will allow a vote on a Democrat energy plan, but that vote will be contingent on a vote on a Republican energy plan.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Monday morning that the newest Democratic energy bill will be brought to the floor under normal rules and will be subject to a vote on a Republican alternative that is likely to call for even more drilling than Democrats are prepared to swallow.

Hoyer, holding his weekly session with reporters, would not discuss details of the new Democratic energy bill — which was first outlined by caucus Vice Chairman John Larson (D-Conn.) over the weekend. But Hoyer did outline the process for bringing the bill to the floor, and said it will be brought up under regular order.

“[Republicans] will have the opportunity to offer their alternative, yes,” Hoyer said in response to a question about how the energy bill will be introduced. “We understand that their motion to recommit will be their Republican alternative.”

The move is a dramatic departure from Democrats’ pre-August recess strategy, in which they brought up each of their energy bills under suspension of the rules and, in doing so, avoided having any votes on Republican measures calling for offshore drilling. But by embracing this strategy, Democrats also failed to get the two-thirds majority necessary to pass the majority of their energy bills.

Pelosi and the Democrats have handled this issue badly.  Pelosi tried to ram-rod through the Democrat energy plan by suspending House Rules (something Pelosi had promised she wouldn’t do) and when Republicans managed to block that maneuver she put the House into recess before a vote on the Republican plan was held.  But Republicans didn’t leave the House, the public took notice of what was happening, and now the Democrats may well lose ground in the House this election because of the energy issue.

Will they lose enough ground to let Republicans re-take control of the chamber?  Time will tell.