House Republicans will consider a number of new internal rules proposals this week, including some related to the impeachment of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
While there is a broader push to change the single-member threshold needed to trigger an eviction motion, there are also some Republican members who are looking to make internal changes to leadership elections in the future of their party. Republicans from various corners of the conference have advanced their proposals for the 119th Congress, which will be considered this week when the party votes on its new rules package on Thursday.
Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) has proposed a rule change that would require anyone running for a leadership position to resign from their current leadership post to seek another, the Florida conservative confirmed this weekend POLITICO.
Had this proposed rule change been in effect during the speaker’s race last October, it would have meant that a series of members running to replace former Speaker Kevin McCarthy would have had to resign their leadership before they could take the top spot obtain. They include Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Republican Policy Chairman Gary Palmer (R-Ala.), and even now Speaker Mike Johnson, who was then the vice chairman of the GOP conference. chair.
The proposal would give Republicans more opportunities to move up the ranks, but would risk stymieing those with strong leadership ambitions.
Mast described it as a lesson he learned from the election that followed McCarthy’s impeachment — and one he wants to improve on for the future. At the time of the presidential elections last year, he criticized the party’s leadership: “I can tell you right now. …I would not support any member of our current leadership…Leaders lead. And that’s not happening,” he told CBS News at the time.
The full list of amendments directly related to the GOP conference, which was scheduled to take place Thursday evening, has yet to be reported. But centrists also filed an amendment that would establish internal repercussions for Republicans who oppose a procedural vote that would allow the party to put a Republican Party bill before the House of Representatives for a vote. This comes after conservatives have repeatedly prevented bills from even receiving proper consideration – and thus leadership policy priorities have fallen under both McCarthy and Johnson.
There are also discussions about amending the discharge application, as POLITICO first reported.
There are several ongoing discussions about broader rules, including some that affect the way the floor is governed. This includes the attempt by some to make it more difficult to oust a speaker.
While the majority of Republicans despise the instrument used by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) could lead a small group of Republicans in ousting McCarthy against the wishes of most at last October’s GOP conference, there are some conservatives in the party who are expected to fiercely will fight to keep the threshold. And narrow voting margins could derail plans to adjust it.
Jordan Carney contributed to this report.
