“Battle of the GOP: Two Proposals Face Off in Rush for Speakership

Today, House Republicans have announced dueling proposals as the GOP scrambles to select a new leader. Incumbent House Speaker Paul Ryan, who is set to retire at the end of this Congress, has been in power since fall 2015. The Republican Party has divided into two separate factions in a bid to find a replacement. The first proposal comes from the Republican Study Committee (RSC), a group of House Republicans representing all 50 states. The RSC’s plan is to keep the selection process in-house, with a series of votes in the party to select a new Speaker. Representative Mark Walker of North Carolina is leading the RSC’s efforts and has stated that they “need someone within our inner party structure to fill the role.” The second proposal comes from the moderate wing of the Republican Party. Led by Representative Fred Upton of Michigan, the moderates have pushed for a different method of selecting a new Speaker. Their plan is to establish an outside panel, which would review candidates from across the party before making a selection. Upton and his allies believe that an external selection process would be more open and transparent than an internal vote within the party. The Republican Party faces a difficult decision in selecting a new leader. Ryan’s departure leaves a huge gap that needs to be filled, and it is up to the party to ensure that the next leader has the best opportunity to achieve the GOP’s goals. The two proposals put forward by the RSC and moderates will certainly shape the upcoming selection process, but the Republican Party must also consider the views of the entire caucus. As the Republican Party gets ready to choose the next Speaker, the fate of the party’s future direction is in their hands. Today, House Republicans have announced dueling proposals as the GOP scrambles to select a new leader. Incumbent House Speaker Paul Ryan, who is set to retire at the end of this Congress, has been in power since fall 2015. The Republican Party has divided into two separate factions in a bid to find a replacement. The first proposal comes from the Republican Study Committee (RSC), a group of House Republicans representing all 50 states. The RSC’s plan is to keep the selection process in-house, with a series of votes in the party to select a new Speaker. Representative Mark Walker of North Carolina is leading the RSC’s efforts and has stated that they “need someone within our inner party structure to fill the role.” The second proposal comes from the moderate wing of the Republican Party. Led by Representative Fred Upton of Michigan, the moderates have pushed for a different method of selecting a new Speaker. Their plan is to establish an outside panel, which would review candidates from across the party before making a selection. Upton and his allies believe that an external selection process would be more open and transparent than an internal vote within the party. The Republican Party faces a difficult decision in selecting a new leader. Ryan’s departure leaves a huge gap that needs to be filled, and it is up to the party to ensure that the next leader has the best opportunity to achieve the GOP’s goals. The two proposals put forward by the RSC and moderates will certainly shape the upcoming selection process, but the Republican Party must also consider the views of the entire caucus. As the Republican Party gets ready to choose the next Speaker, the fate of the party’s future direction is in their hands.