Outgoing House Speaker John Boehner has postponed House Republican caucus elections for majority and whip until after the full House decides on his successor.
Boehner, R-Ohio, said the 435-member House of Representatives will vote on his replacement Oct. 29. Boehner announced last month that he would retire from Congress on Oct. 30. The chamber’s Republicans will decide behind closed doors on Thursday on who their nominee for speaker will be.
“After the new speaker is elected on October 29, our conference will select the rest of the leadership team,” Boehner said in a statement. “The new speaker will establish the date for these additional leadership elections. The process will ensure House Republicans have a strong, unified team to lead our conference and focus on the American people’s priorities.”
The current Republican leadership team is looking to move up a rung with Boehner’s pending exit. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is running for speaker against Reps. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, and Daniel Webster, R-Fla.
House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., is seeking the majority leader post and is pitted against Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga. Reps. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., and Pete Sessions, R-Texas, chair of the House Rules Committee, are seeking to succeed Scalise as whip.
William Douglas: 202-383-6026, @williamgdouglas