House Republicans are in a state of flux as they scramble to select a new speaker and introduce two dueling proposals to set the tone for the GOP-controlled House.
The proposals are coming from two conservative House members: Congressman Jim Jordan, of Ohio, and Congressman Mark Meadows, of North Carolina. Both men have received endorsements from their respective state Republican Party as well as backing from influential conservative groups.
Meadows has proposed a “brokered convention” as a way to select the next speaker of the House. Under his plan, the entire House Republican caucus, or all Republican members of the House, would meet and vote on a new speaker. The winner would need a majority, or greater than 50% of the votes, to serve as the new leader of the House Republican caucus.
Jordan has put forth a similar proposal, dubbed the “Speaker Resolution”. Under this plan, the current speaker of the House, Paul Ryan, would move aside and allow the Republican conference to select their own leader without outside interference.
The proposed changes are seen by some as symbolic of a larger argument within the Republican party about ideology and how it should be presented to the public. Supporters of Meadows and Jordan argue that a more conservative voice is needed to lead the party, while opponents argue that such a move would only lead to more divisions within the GOP.
As the House Republicans continue to debate the merits of both proposals this week, the American people will be watching to see which path the GOP decides to take. With many key elections coming up in November, the party’s success or failure could depend on the decision they make. Will the GOP remain united with a new speaker, or will their internal divisions deny them of a unified strategy? Only time will tell.