U.S. President Donald Trump looks down during a Congressional Space Medal of Honor presentation to the Artemis II crew at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, U.S., August 28, 2026. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
In the wake of the Republican Party’s disastrous midterm election showing, the GOP lawmakers are scrambling for leadership positions with plans to shake things up.
According to Punchbowl News founder Jake Sherman, one lawmaker is making the case that it is time for major changes at the NRCC.
That lawmaker is Rep. Rudy Yakym (R-IN), who is running to lead the National Republican Congressional Committee, the House GOP’s campaign arm. He "has told members that he wants to blow up the NRCC — and makes the case he’s a stronger fundraiser than [Georgia Rep. Brian] Jack," Sherman reported.
Jack is selling his experience, pointing out he "ran [Donald] Trump’s political operation" and was political director for former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA). With the president’s brand badly bruised after Tuesday, "Jack has laid out detailed plans for the committee" and worked to convince members that he’s his own man, not a stand-in for Trump.
There’s also a fight brewing over who will lead the House Republican Conference, which runs the party’s messaging. Incumbent Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI) is facing a challenge from Reps. Erin Houchin (R-IN) and Greg Steube (R-FL), according to the report.
McClain has "put out a list of 35 endorsements," which Sherman described as a "decent show of support" but still well short of the roughly 90 votes it will take to win. Houchin wants to "overhaul the conference," an argument Sherman said appeals to many members. Steube is calling for a more conservative conference, though, according to the report, that’s not entirely what members have been saying since the election.
Insiders expect McClain and Houchin to end up in a second-round showdown, Punchbowl is reporting.
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