House Republicans jockey for post-Boehner leadership power

“I am running to be your Speaker because I know that the People’s House works best when the leadership you elect listens to Members and respects the legislative process”, wrote McCarthy, who has a reputation for being a good listener, in his announcement letter. One seen as significant: Former Vice Presidential candidate Rep. Paul Ryan announced his decision to endorse Price on Monday. “And I woke up, said my prayers as I always do, and I decided today is the day I’m going to do this”.

The California Republican is the presumptive frontrunner in the race to replace Boehner, especially after potential rival Peter Roskam of Illinois told the Washington Post on Monday that he was ruling himself out of the race.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s campaign for speaker veered into damage control mode Wednesday after he suggested that the House Benghazi committee can take credit for Hillary Rodham Clinton’s slumping poll numbers.

“We must wage this war against radical Islam as if our life depended on it. Because it does”, said McCarthy, who also reiterated his criticism of the international nuclear deal with Iran. “We need the people to understand and believe this is their government; that they’re in charge and we’re here to serve them”, McCarthy said. Boehner on Sunday, in a CBS “Face the Nation” interview called the hard-line conservatives who are against compromise with President Barack Obama “false prophets”.

He is expected to meet this week with the House Freedom Caucus, the Tuesday Group, and the Republican delegations from Pennsylvania and Texas, Politico reports.

A spokesman for the Benghazi committee, Jamal Ware, said: “People view the Benghazi Committee through whatever lens or spin they choose, meanwhile, the Benghazi Committee is focused on, and our work is driven by, the facts”.

Meadows’ strategy to force a vote to remove Boehner failed in July, but it reignited deep internal divisions inside the House GOP – a dynamic Boehner cited Friday when he announced his resignation.

Webster would not say how much support he has gotten, and he acknowledged the “uphill climb”.

13 years after he first joined Congress, Boehner is set to resign on October 30th, completing his tenure as Speaker that was characterized by high levels of tension with President Obama (whom he even filed a lawsuit against), the government shutdown of 2013 and persistent attacks on the Affordable Care Act.

Senate Republicans have already moved ahead with plans for a “clean” continuing resolution after Democrats blocked an attempt to drop the Planned Parenthood funds. “That’s important. I think that’s why he’s going to be successful in this”. They have not said whether they will ask for something specific in return for their support.

Some of the more establishment-minded Republicans are disgusted with the Freedom Caucus crowd over their role in pushing Boehner out.