Before electing another Speaker, Republicans need to remove the Sword of Damocles hanging over the head of the position. At the very minimum, the Republican Conference should pass a party rule that would require a “majority of the majority” to support a motion to vacate under penalty of expulsion from the Conference and removal from all Committees. The party’s current rule is too weak. It says: “It is the policy of the Republican Conference that the privilege under House Rule IX Clause 2(a)(3) should only be available with the agreement of the Republican Conference so as to not allow Democrats to choose the Speaker.”
