WASHINGTON (AP) - House Speaker Dennis Hastert is expected by many Republicans to step aside as the GOP's leader if Democrats win big in next week's election. He may be on his way out even if the GOP emerges with a narrow majority.

The No. 2 House Republican, Majority Leader John Boehner of Ohio, is looking very much like a candidate to fill Hastert's shoes even though some Republicans appear to be agitating for fresh faces all around, win or lose.

There's lots of grumbling among Republican insiders over real and imagined leadership lapses. Not the least of those is the way Hastert's office handled - mishandled, some critics say - the Mark Foley page scandal.

Earlier episodes, including changing House rules two years ago to protect former Majority Leader Tom DeLay, (R-Texas) in case he got indicted, helped breed the unhappiness. Interviews with current and former congressional aides, GOP lobbyists and strategists reveal surprisingly widespread discontent with Hastert, suggesting a demoralizing election could cement calls within GOP ranks for new leadership.

"He's in jeopardy whether we win or lose," said GOP lobbyist Jim Dyer, a former staff chief for the House Appropriations Committee. "If we lose, I think the party will want somebody younger and more articulate to carry its message as minority leader and I'm guessing that'll be John Boehner."

While Boehner isn't making any overt moves on Hastert, he's clearly positioning himself to move up when and if Hastert moves on. He has stepped into an election-season leadership vacuum, staffing a pre-election war room called the "Majority Project" and has raised his media profile.

Hastert, meanwhile, has had to assume a lower stance this campaign season amid questions about how his office handled complaints about Ex-Rep. Foley's behavior regarding male former House pages.

Foley resigned abruptly on Sept. 29 after being confronted with sexually explicit computer messages to former pages.

Republicans already showed signs of restiveness earlier this year in elevating Boehner to majority leader over Whip Roy Blunt, (R-Mo.) who represented the established leadership team.

"If they keep the majority by one or two seats, there's going to be some hard and fast discussions with some members about Denny's future," said a Republican lobbyist with close ties to House GOP leaders. "I don't think he can stand for speaker, not the way things are going."

The GOP lobbyist demanded anonymity given the sensitivity of talking about the powerful Hastert, as did a variety of GOP insiders pondering the possibility of a leadership shuffle.