SACRAMENTO -- Assembly GOP leader Mike Villines of Clovis is expected to resign his leadership post today, as anger builds among anti-tax conservatives over a budget deal he negotiated.

The Assembly's 29 Republican members will vote on his replacement at a morning meeting, although Villines is expected to keep the job during a transition period. The favored candidate appears to be Sam Blakeslee of San Luis Obispo.

"The tea leaves look like Sam's got more than enough support to be our leader," said Assembly Member Ted Gaines, R-Roseville.

Villines and Blakeslee did not return calls for comment. But a Capitol source, who spoke only on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Villines planned to step down. Villines' office put out a news release stating he would make a major announcement this morning about his future and the direction of the Republican caucus just before the caucus meets behind closed doors.

Villines has caught the wrath of conservatives ever since negotiating a budget deal in February with Democrats and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that includes temporary tax increases to help close a $42 billion shortfall through June 2010.

Since then, Villines has campaigned hard for several May 19 ballot measures that are needed to complete the deal, including Proposition 1A, which restricts state spending but also extends the tax hikes by a couple of years.

Villines, a lifelong fiscal conservative, argued that if he had not agreed to temporary tax hikes, majority-party Democrats would have sought to enact a budget that includes permanent tax increases. But those assurances did not soothe GOP activists, who've come out against all the ballot measures.

"Republicans have one job and one job only: keep taxes low and keep the budget under control. And frankly if we aren't willing to do that job, we should all resign," said Michael Der Manouel Jr., president of the conservative Lincoln Club of Fresno County. "We never wanted a compromise on the budget in the first place, and it was done without [our] input."

But Villines drew support from other Republicans, who said he did the best he could as leader of the minority party.

"In difficult economic times, there's no easy answers," said former Secretary of State Bill Jones of Fresno, who led Assembly Republicans in the early 1990s. "At the end of the day, someone has to lead."

Villines negotiated the budget deal along with Sen. Dave Cogdill, R-Modesto, who was dumped as Senate leader by colleagues in a midnight coup before final budget votes were cast.

Villines was elected leader in late 2006, ousting George Plescia of San Diego, who was also criticized for cutting deals with Democrats and the governor.

Villines held on to his job in recent months by drawing on strong personal relationships he built with colleagues. But as GOP criticism mounted, it was widely speculated that he would step down after the election -- and certainly well before he terms out in 2010.

When word leaked that he was considering such a move, maneuvering began to replace him, possibly triggering the early departure. Blakeslee is a member of Villines' leadership team, so his selection would represent a victory of sorts for Villines.