House conservatives vie for clout over Boehner successor
By David Lawder WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican lawmakers jockeyed for position on Sunday in the race to replace House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner as conservatives sought to exert influence over the election and push their party's leadership further to the right. The House Freedom Caucus, a group of the most conservative Republicans, hope to form a voting bloc of up to 60 members to rally around a single candidate for Boehner&039;s job and other leadership positions that open up. While the group has not identified a favored candidate, Representative Mick Mulvaney, a founding member, said on Sunday that House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy has the "inside track" to be the next speaker.
