| The House Freedom Caucus is so far refusing to back GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) for speaker should its party win back the majority — testing what commitments it can leverage in exchange for its members' support, Axios' Alayna Treene and Andrew Solender report. Why it matters: The ultra-conservative group, which has a history of dislodging Republican leaders whom members didn't see as properly representing the conservative movement, is plotting a return to relevance after years of seeing its influence fade. - If Republicans regain the House majority with tight rather than wide margins, it could give the caucus more power.
Driving the news: The group's chairman, Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), and other members are pushing for the GOP conference to vote on a new House rules package before electing the new leadership, as The Washington Examiner and Punchbowl News have reported. - It's one of several leverage points the caucus is discussing.
What they're saying: Perry told Axios "it's a different game" when a party is in the majority, compared to when they're in the minority and totally unified on opposing the other party. - "Somebody has to be the conscience of the conference and actually do the things we said we were going to do on the campaign trail," Perry said.
- As for aligning behind McCarthy, Perry said: "Talk to me on Nov. 9." For now, Freedom Caucus members have adopted an official stance of neutrality in leadership elections, Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) told Axios.
Between the lines: There was a time when the caucus — which often served as a check on party leadership and the GOP establishment overall — largely dictated conservative messaging and activism. But the group's star power has weakened in recent years for key three reasons: 1. The minority: House Republicans have been more unified — and less involved in policymaking decisions — in their last four years in the minority. 2. Donald Trump's rise: The caucus was once viewed as the beacon of the right, but was overtaken in 2016 by a larger-than-life figure who preached many of the same ideals and principles. 3. Leadership shakeup: Former Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) — original co-founders of the Freedom Caucus — were once the frontmen. - But Meadows left Congress in late 2020 to become Trump's chief of staff, while Jordan has since landed a spot within House Republican leadership and endorsed McCarthy for speaker.
What to watch: Some members want to adopt more scorched-earth tactics toward President Biden. - Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.) told Axios he wants to "force this president to sign bills that would rescind some of the harm" of Democratic policies and "shut it down if necessary. Gridlock is a good thing compared to the alternative."
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