Chairmen urge Republicans to pump brakes on Speaker contest

House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) are circulating a letter calling on House Republicans to adopt a shared vision before electing a new Speaker.

The letter comes after House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) abruptly dropped out of the race to succeed Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio.), who is slated to resign Oct. 31.

{mosads}”Members need to come together to figure out what we are and where we are going as a Conference, before we figure out who will lead us,” they wrote in the letter.

Hensarling, a potential contender to be Speaker, and Goodlatte have already secured the support of 17 GOP House colleagues, according to the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Hill.

“Too often decisions are made in a 24/7 news cycle where people do not have full information, have not fully considered the consequences of action or inaction, and Members are locked into a position that may very well change based on future circumstances,” according to the letter.

The letter states that “members not commit to a determinative course of action before our Conference can meet and find a shared set of goals and governing vision that benefits the nation and our constituents.”

“We are all committed to a thorough review of the processes and procedures that guide our Conference and the House,” the lawmakers wrote. “We agree that finding a conservative leader with the temperament, disposition, leadership qualities, and ability to be a leader of the House, our Conference, and the nation is our shared goal.”

GOP Reps. Paul Ryan (Wis.), Trey Gowdy (S.C.), Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.), Bill Shuster (Pa.) and Peter Roskam (Ill.) were some of the 17 other members in addition to Hensarling and Goddlatte who signed the letter. 

Goodlatte-Hensarling Letter.doc