The House Freedom Caucus will vote for Rep. Daniel Webster for House speaker on Thursday, the group announced.
The conservative freedom caucus voted behind closed doors to endorse Webster, a former Florida House Speaker and state Senate president, based in part on his commitment to eliminating the “top down” style of governing that conservatives say often alienates and punishes them.
The vote officially rejects the candidacy of Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., who is hoping to succeed outgoing Speaker John Boehner. The Freedom Caucus also rejected House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, who is running for the top post.
“Instead of a power based representation, it is a principle based representation,” said Rep. John Fleming, R-La., in explaining Webster’s philosophy. “We need to be empowered, rather than the House speaker dictating to us.”
The vote was not unanimous, Fleming said, but 80 percent of the group backed the decision. The Freedom Caucus says it has more than 40 lawmakers as members. The members said the decision applies only to the House conference vote tomorrow and not the Oct. 29 full House vote for speaker.
“This does not bind us beyond tomorrow’s vote,” Fleming said. “We think a lot of things can happen in the next three weeks, possible rules changes, other people can get in.”
The Freedom Caucus is among the wider group of conservatives who are hoping to leverage their voting power in the speaker’s election to win changes in the House rules that will empower them.
Conservatives have long clashed with the leadership and many of them have lost committee posts and leadership positions for defying the majority. House Republican leaders have just begun considering changes in the rules to mollify conservatives, who they need in order for McCarthy to win the speaker’s gavel on Oct. 29.
