While conservative House Republicans are expected to vote for Rep. Paul Ryan for House speaker on Thursday, signs are already emerging that Ryan will be closely watched to see if he delivers the changes to House procedures conservatives are demanding.
Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, said he expects conservatives will give Ryan a grace period of just a few months.
“We are going to give him a chance,” Labrador said. “We are going to have his back for a few months and make sure we give him the opportunity to show that he can be the leader that we hope he can be.”
Ryan did his best to convince conservatives over the last few weeks that he will end the “top-down” style of managing the House employed by the current speaker, John Boehner of Ohio. After being named speaker-designate among Republicans Wednesday, Ryan promised to “turn the page” and allow for more inclusive proceedings.
For now, at least, conservatives are buying it.
“He’s the nominee, I’m going to vote for him tomorrow,” Labrador said. “I think you are going to have the majority of the Freedom Caucus voting for Ryan tomorrow.”
“He wants to change business as usual, so we are cautiously optimistic he’s going to change the way things are done around here,” Labrador said.
Labrador was among the 43 Republicans who voted for Rep. Daniel Webster, R-Fla. in Wednesday’s closed-door GOP election. Most, like Labrador, are members of the House Freedom Caucus. But Labrador said conservatives agree they’ll vote for Ryan on the House floor Thursday.
Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., a Freedom Caucus member, likened the situation to a regular election, where voters rally behind the party candidate in November even if they voted for someone else in the primary. “It’s the primary today and tomorrow is the general,” Franks said.
This story was updated to correct Labrador’s quote from “two months” to “a few months.”
