House Republicans are considering changes to internal rules proposals that would prevent leadership scuffles like the one that led to the ousting of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Politico reported Sunday.
A movement to amend the threshold for issuing a motion to vacate, which stands at just one member of the House, has gained steam among the GOP. Some members, including Florida Rep. Brian Mast, are looking to go further with a proposal that would require any current member of leadership looking to run for another leadership position to resign before they can seek another.
According to Politico, this proposal could open up the running for leadership posts to Republicans who otherwise wouldn’t have much chance of competing with high-profile members of Congress. However, it could also have a chilling effect on attempts by top-level Republicans to seek higher positions.
Had this rule been implemented before McCarthy’s ousting, several top members of the House GOP, including Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., Republican Policy Chair Gary Palmer. R-Ala., and Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who was vice chair of the House GOP conference, would have been required to step down from their posts to run for speaker.
Although most Republicans dislike the tool that allowed Rep. Matt Gaetz to lead a small group of Republicans in ousting McCarthy against the wishes of most in the party's conference in October 2023, Politico reported there are some conservatives who are expected to fight to keep the threshold.
A thin House majority, which Republicans are expected to have once all the races are decided, could scramble plans to adjust it.
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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