Republicans are in trouble. A significant bloc regards their congressional leaders—House speaker John Boehner, Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, and their underlings—as enemies. A quarter or more of grassroots Republicans think Donald Trump should be president. And to make things worse, Hillary Clinton has a glide path to the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016, making her tougher for any Republican to beat.

Paul Ryan’s elevation as speaker, assuming it happens this week, will ease the furor of dissident Republicans. But the differences between them and GOP leaders, including Ryan, have not gone away. When issues like increasing the debt limit and new spending arise, Ryan and the archconservative faction may split angrily.