Several conservative House members are frustrated with Speaker John Boehner, but they are not considering a coup.
“We don’t have the votes to make a serious run for the gavel,” says a Republican House member, who requested anonymity to speak freely. “People are unhappy, but there is no one willing to lead a rebellion.”
At a closed-door meeting today, over 30 members of the Republican Study Committee huddled. They discussed the threat of tax-rate increases, and they knocked leadership’s negotiating tactics.
But no one, it seems, spoke up and urged the RSC to lead a revolt. Two top House conservatives, Tom Price (Ga.) and Jim Jordan (Ohio), were there, but they did not stoke talk of a challenge.
“We are all waiting to see what Boehner does,” says a House conservative insider. “Until we know more, the RSC isn’t going to be talking about putting somebody up for speaker. Price or Jordan would be our favorites, but they aren’t going to do it unless there is a movement behind them.”