House Minority Whip Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is adding two key backers from her leadership bid to the party's roster of Chief Deputy Whips, Pelosi's office confirmed Thursday. 
Pelosi is expected to announce the appointments of Reps. Max Sandlin (D-Texas) and Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) Thursday afternoon. They will bring the number of chief deputies to six. 
The move will be the first concrete step Pelosi has taken as Whip to put her personal stamp on the operation she inherited from Rep. David Bonior (D-Mich.). 
Schakowsky, an activist progressive, was among the California lawmaker's most aggressive and devoted backers, while Sandlin, a member of the conservative Blue Dog Coalition, was a top confidant and played a key role in carving inroads for Pelosi with Caucus centrists. 
"She thought they would really add a strong presence to the Whip team," Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly said. 
The appointment of Chief Deputy Whips is technically a leadership function, with all selections approved by Minority Leader Richard Gephardt (D-Mo.). 
The Democratic leadership has traditionally used the post for leadership appointments from the Caucus' powerful coalitions. 
Prior to these two appointments, the roster of Chief Deputy Whips consisted of Reps. John Lewis (Ga.), Ed Pastor (Ariz.), Maxine Waters (Calif.) and Chet Edwards (Texas). 
The addition of Sandlin gives the group its second putative centrist from Texas and its first Blue Dog. 
Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.), himself a Blue Dog and a key Pelosi confidant, praised the selections and noted that Sandlin, who had been a candidate for Caucus vice chairman, is now the leadership' highest-ranking Blue Dog ever. 
"It's important for the Blue Dogs to have someone in that position," Thompson said. "It shows we're going to have a voice in public policy" under Pelosi.