House Republicans are gathered behind closed doors this morning and are expected to debate and vote on a change to conference rules to raise the threshold to win the speakership nomination. Via CNN:
If adopted, the proposal would raise the threshold to win the nomination from a simple majority of the conference, which is 111 members, to a majority of the House — currently 217 with vacancies — before a House floor vote, per the amendment obtained by CNN.
As detailed in the amendment, once a candidate gets a majority of the support from the conference, members vote by secret ballot for two rounds to try to secure the needed 217 votes. If that hasn’t happened, the third round is a manual roll call. If a candidate doesn’t get 217 after five rounds of voting, then new candidates (and candidates who have not dropped out) can emerge and be nominated by members.
The idea is to make sure that the internal squabbling happens out of public view, so the candidate can emerge from the conference with enough votes to be elected speaker on the first floor ballot. If successful, this could avoid a protracted floor fight like the one that occurred when Rep. Kevin McCarthy won the gavel after 15 ballots in January.
UPDATE: Beavis wins.
