GOP split over rules change to keep Speaker ‘mess’ behind closed doors
by Emily Brooks and Mychael Schnell - 10/11/23 6:00 AM ET
A proposal that would temporarily raise the threshold to nominate a Republican Speaker to the number of votes needed to win on the House floor — a move meant to prevent internal disputes from playing out in the public eye — is expected to be the first order of business for Republicans on Wednesday.
If adopted, the closed-door GOP nomination process set to kick off Wednesday morning could drag on as the conference — which members say is closely divided between Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) — tries to coalesce around a candidate.
While the idea has received broad support, it has also been met with some skepticism.
The draft proposal, led by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), would require a nominee to receive 217 votes in the conference before heading to the House floor — a number that would be enough to win the majority of the full chamber.
Jordan has expressed support for the idea.
“I think we’ve got to get 217,” Jordan said after leaving a Tuesday candidate forum.
Others, however, think that members opposed to the will of the conference should be put on the record in public.
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https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4249101-gop-rules-change-speaker/
