House Republicans are expected to vote on their new leadership this week. With Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WS) already leaving due to retirement, Congressman Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was campaigning to replace him. Now that effort becomes an election for House Minority Leader. Congressman Steve Scalise (R-LA) is expected to seek a continuing role as the number two House Republican as House Minority Whip. Somewhere in these leadership debates will be Congressman Jim Jordan (R-OH) one of the leaders of the conservative caucus in the House. Overall the House Republican caucus will get both smaller and more conservative since many of the approximate 30 Republicans that have lost where seen as more moderate and coming from congressional districts that had been carried by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers is expected to give up her leadership in the Republican conference despite winning a narrow but tough re-election campaign.
The Democrats will hold their leadership elections on November 29. It is unclear at this point how those races will go or develop. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is seeking a return as Speaker but there is some agitation for some new opportunities for younger members of the Democratic caucus but there may also be some caucus concern about not having a new leader in the midst of what will be tough challenges in the 2 years leading up to the Trump reelection campaign. If Pelosi does succeed in returning, you may see some new leaders emerge in the Majority Leader, Majority Whip or some other leadership positions. An increasing number of women and minorities in the Democratic caucus will be looking for new leadership positions.
