House Republicans have begun jockeying for leadership positions in the next Congress, anticipating the possibility that Speaker John Boehner could step down after the November elections.

The Ohio Republican maintains that he has no plans to relinquish the gavel. Indeed, some Republicans close to Boehner now believe he is leaning toward running for a third term as speaker after previously predicting that 2014 would be his final year on the job. Boehner’s speakership has strengthened in the aftermath of October’s government shutdown, with his often-rebellious conference uniting behind him following three years of bucking his leadership at nearly every turn.