House Republican Conference

{{Short description|Party caucus in the US House of Representatives}}

{{Infobox political party

| name = House Republican Conference

| logo = Republican Disc.svg

| colorcode = {{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}

| leader1_title = Part of

| leader1_name = United States House of Representatives

| leader2_title = House Speaker

| leader2_name = Mike Johnson (LA)

| leader3_title = Floor Leader

| leader3_name = Steve Scalise (LA)

| leader4_title = Floor Whip

| leader4_name = Tom Emmer (MN)

| leader5_title = Chair

| leader5_name = Lisa McClain (MI)

| ideology = Right-wing populism{{cref|A}}
Conservatism

| affiliation1_title = Affiliation

| affiliation1 = Republican Party

| seats1_title = Seats

| seats1 = {{Composition bar|220|435|{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}}}

| colors = {{color box|{{party color|Republican Party (United States)}}}} Red

| position = Centre-right to Right-wing

| footnotes = {{Cnote|A|Includes Trumpism}}

| website = {{URL|https://gop.gov}}

| country = the United States

}}

The House Republican Conference is the party caucus for Republicans in the United States House of Representatives. It hosts meetings, and is the primary forum for communicating the party's message to members. The conference produces a daily publication of political analysis under the title Legislative Digest.

When the conference holds the majority of seats, it is usually led by the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives who is assisted on the floor by the House majority leader and the party's chief whip. When in the minority, it is led by the House minority leader, assisted by the chief whip. The conference has a chair who directs day-to-day operations and who is assisted by an elected vice chair and a secretary.

In the 118th Congress, the conference is led by Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana, assisted by Majority Leader Steve Scalise (also of Louisiana), and Majority Whip Tom Emmer. The current chair is Lisa McClain of Michigan, who assumed the position .{{Cite news|last=Milman|first=Oliver|date=2021-05-14|title=Trump loyalist Elise Stefanik wins Republican vote to replace Liz Cheney|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/may/14/elise-stefanik-republican-vote-liz-cheney-trump}}{{cite web |title=Republican Conference Chairmen |url=https://history.house.gov/People/Office/Republican-Conference-Chairmen/ |publisher=US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives |access-date=7 January 2019 |language=en}}

Former chairs include Gerald Ford, John Boehner, Mike Pence, John B. Anderson, Dick Cheney, Jack Kemp, J. C. Watts, Deborah D. Pryce, Adam Putnam, Jeb Hensarling, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Liz Cheney, Kevin McCarthy and Elise Stefanik. As a result of the 2024 elections, the party holds a narrow majority in the House of Representatives in the 119th Congress.

Current hierarchy

As of January 3, 2024, the conference leadership has been as follows:

Mike Johnson (LA) as Speaker of the House (conference leader)
Steve Scalise (LA) as House majority leader
Tom Emmer (MN) as House majority whip
Lisa McClain (MI) as chair of the House Republican Conference
Blake Moore (UT) as vice chair of the House Republican Conference
Erin Houchin (IN) as secretary of the House Republican Conference
Kevin Hern (OK) as chair of the House Republican Policy Committee
Richard Hudson (NC) as chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee
Guy Reschenthaler (PA) as House Republican chief deputy whip

Leaders of the House Republican Conference

style="width:5%;" \| Congress ! colspan="2" \| Leader ! District ! Took office ! Left office ! colspan="2" \| House Speaker
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:75%;"
36th \| 150px \| William Pennington {{small\|(1796–1862)}} \| New Jersey 5 \| {{dts\|February 1, 1860}} \| {{dts\|March 3, 1861}} \| style="background-color:{{party color\|Republican Party (US)}};" \| \| Himself {{small\|1860–1861}}
37th \| 150px \| Galusha A. Grow {{small\|(1823–1907)}} \| Pennsylvania 14 \| {{dts\|July 4, 1861}} \| {{dts\|March 4, 1863}} \| style="background-color:{{party color\|Republican Party (US)}};" \| \| Himself {{small\|1861–1863}}
38th \| rowspan="3" \| 150px \| rowspan="3" \| Schuyler Colfax {{small\|(1823–1885)}} \| rowspan="3" \| Indiana 9 \| rowspan="3" \| {{dts\|December 7, 1863}} \| rowspan="3" \| {{dts\|March 3, 1869}}{{efn\|name=resigned veep}} \| rowspan="3" style="background-color:{{party color\|Republican Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="3" \| Himself {{small\|1863–1869}}
39th
40th
40th \| 150px \| Theodore M. Pomeroy {{small\|(1824–1905)}} \| New York 24 \| {{dts\|March 3, 1869}} \| {{dts\|March 4, 1869}} \| style="background-color:{{party color\|Republican Party (US)}};" \| \| Himself {{small\|1869}}
41st \| rowspan="3" \| 150px \| rowspan="3" \| James G. Blaine {{small\|(1830–1893)}} \| rowspan="3" \| Maine 3 \| rowspan="3" \| {{dts\|March 4, 1869}} \| rowspan="3" \| {{dts\|March 4, 1875}} \| rowspan="3" style="background-color:{{party color\|Republican Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="3" \| Himself {{small\|1869–1875}}
42nd
43rd
rowspan="2" \| 44th \| rowspan="2" \| 150px \| rowspan="2" \| George W. McCrary {{small\|(1835–1890)}} \| rowspan="2" \| Iowa 1 \| rowspan="2" \| {{dts\|March 4, 1875}} \| rowspan="2" \| {{dts\|March 3, 1877}} \| style="background-color:{{party color\|Democratic Party (US)}};" \| \| style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| Kerr {{small\|1875–1876}}
rowspan="3" style="background-color:{{party color\|Democratic Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| Randall {{small\|1876–1881}}
45th \| 150px \| Eugene Hale {{small\|(1836–1918)}} \| Maine 5 \| {{dts\|March 4, 1877}} \| {{dts\|March 4, 1879}}
46th \| 150px \| William P. Frye {{small\|(1830–1911)}} \| Maine 2 \| {{dts\|March 4, 1879}} \| {{dts\|March 3, 1881}}
47th \| 150px \| J. Warren Keifer {{small\|(1836–1932)}} \| Ohio 8 \| {{dts\|December 5, 1881}} \| {{dts\|March 4, 1883}} \| style="background-color:{{party color\|Republican Party (US)}};" \| \| Himself {{small\|1881–1883}}
48th \| rowspan="3" \| 150px \| rowspan="3" \| Joseph Gurney Cannon {{small\|(1836–1926)}} \| rowspan="3" \| Illinois 15 \| rowspan="3" \| {{dts\|March 4, 1883}} \| rowspan="3" \| {{dts\|March 3, 1889}} \| rowspan="3" style="background-color:{{party color\|Democratic Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| Carlisle {{small\|1883–1889}}
49th
50th
51st \| 150px \| Thomas Brackett Reed {{small\|(1839–1902)}} \| Maine 1 \| {{dts\|December 4, 1889}} \| {{dts\|March 3, 1891}} \| style="background-color:{{party color\|Republican Party (US)}};" \| \| Himself {{small\|1889–1891}}
52nd \| rowspan="2" \| 150px \| rowspan="2" \| Thomas J. Henderson {{small\|(1824–1911)}} \| rowspan="2" \| Illinois 7 \| rowspan="2" \| {{dts\|March 4, 1891}} \| rowspan="2" \| {{dts\|March 3, 1895}} \| rowspan="2" style="background-color:{{party color\|Democratic Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| Crisp {{small\|1891–1895}}
53rd
54th \| rowspan="2" \| 150px \| rowspan="2" \| Thomas Brackett Reed {{small\|(1839–1902)}} \| rowspan="2" \| Maine 1 \| rowspan="2" \| {{dts\|December 2, 1895}} \| rowspan="2" \| {{dts\|March 4, 1899}} \| rowspan="2" style="background-color:{{party color\|Republican Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="2" \| Himself {{small\|1895–1899}}
55th
56th \| rowspan="2" \| 150px \| rowspan="2" \| David B. Henderson {{small\|(1840–1906)}} \| rowspan="2" \| Iowa 3 \| rowspan="2" \| {{dts\|December 4, 1899}} \| rowspan="2" \| {{dts\|March 4, 1903}} \| rowspan="2" style="background-color:{{party color\|Republican Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="2" \| Himself {{small\|1899–1903}}
57th
58th \| rowspan="4" \| 150px \| rowspan="4" \| Joseph Gurney Cannon {{small\|(1836–1926)}} \| rowspan="4" \| Illinois 18 \| rowspan="4" \| {{dts\|November 9, 1903}} \| rowspan="4" \| {{dts\|March 4, 1911}} \| rowspan="4" style="background-color:{{party color\|Republican Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="4" \| Himself {{small\|1903–1911}}
59th
60th
61st
62nd \| rowspan="4" \| 150px \| rowspan="4" \| James Robert Mann {{small\|(1856–1922)}} \| rowspan="4" \| Illinois 2 \| rowspan="4" \| {{dts\|March 4, 1911}} \| rowspan="4" \| {{dts\|March 3, 1919}} \| rowspan="4" style="background-color:{{party color\|Democratic Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="4" style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| Clark {{small\|1911–1919}}
63rd
64th
65th
66th \| rowspan="3" \| 150px \| rowspan="3" \| Frederick H. Gillett {{small\|(1851–1935)}} \| rowspan="3" \| Massachusetts 2 \| rowspan="3" \| {{dts\|May 19, 1919}} \| rowspan="3" \| {{dts\|March 3, 1925}} \| rowspan="3" style="background-color:{{party color\|Republican Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="3" \| Himself {{small\|1919–1925}}
67th
68th
69th \| rowspan="3" \| 150px \| rowspan="3" \| Nicholas Longworth {{small\|(1869–1931)}} \| rowspan="3" \| Ohio 1 \| rowspan="3" \| {{dts\|December 7, 1925}} \| rowspan="3" \| {{dts\|March 4, 1931}} \| rowspan="3" style="background-color:{{party color\|Republican Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="3" \| Himself {{small\|1925–1931}}
70th
71st
72nd \| rowspan="5" \| 150px \| rowspan="5" \| Bertrand Snell {{small\|(1870–1958)}} \| rowspan="5" \| New York 31 \| rowspan="5" \| {{dts\|March 4, 1931}} \| rowspan="5" \| {{dts\|January 3, 1939}} \| style="background-color:{{party color\|Democratic Party (US)}};" \| \| style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| Garner {{small\|1931–1933}}
73rd \| style="background-color:{{party color\|Democratic Party (US)}};" \| \| style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| Rainey {{small\|1933–1934}}
rowspan="2" \| 74th \| style="background-color:{{party color\|Democratic Party (US)}};" \| \| style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| Byrns {{small\|1935–1936}}
rowspan="3" style="background-color:{{party color\|Democratic Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| Bankhead {{small\|1936–1940}}
75th
rowspan="2" \| 76th \| rowspan="11" \| 150px \| rowspan="11" \| Joseph W. Martin Jr. {{small\|(1884–1968)}} \| rowspan="11" \| Massachusetts 14 \| rowspan="11" \| {{dts\|January 3, 1939}} \| rowspan="11" \| {{dts\|January 3, 1959}}
rowspan="4" style="background-color:{{party color\|Democratic Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="4" style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| Rayburn {{small\|1940–1947}}
77th
78th
79th
80th \| style="background-color:{{party color\|Republican Party (US)}};" \| \| Himself {{small\|1947–1949}}
81st \| rowspan="2" style="background-color:{{party color\|Democratic Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| Rayburn {{small\|1949–1953}}
82nd
83rd \| style="background-color:{{party color\|Republican Party (US)}};" \| \| Himself {{small\|1953–1955}}
84th \| rowspan="4" style="background-color:{{party color\|Democratic Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="4" style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| Rayburn {{small\|1955–1961}}
85th
86th \| rowspan="4" \| 150px \| rowspan="4" \| Charles A. Halleck {{small\|(1900–1986)}} \| rowspan="4" \| Indiana 2 \| rowspan="4" \| {{dts\|January 3, 1959}} \| rowspan="4" \| {{dts\|January 3, 1965}}
rowspan="2" \| 87th
rowspan="5" style="background-color:{{party color\|Democratic Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| McCormack {{small\|1962–1971}}
88th
89th \| rowspan="5" \| 150px \| rowspan="5" \| Gerald Ford {{small\|(1913–2006)}} \| rowspan="5" \| Michigan 5 \| rowspan="5" \| {{dts\|January 3, 1965}} \| rowspan="5" \| {{dts\|December 6, 1973}}{{efn\|name=resigned veep\|Resigned to become Vice President of the United States.}}
90th
91st
92nd \| rowspan="4" style="background-color:{{party color\|Democratic Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="4" style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| Albert {{small\|1971–1977}}
93rd
93rd \| rowspan="4" \| 150px \| rowspan="4" \| John Jacob Rhodes {{small\|(1916–2003)}} \| rowspan="4" \| Arizona 1 \| rowspan="4" \| {{dts\|December 7, 1973}} \| rowspan="4" \| {{dts\|January 3, 1981}}
94th
95th \| rowspan="5" style="background-color:{{party color\|Democratic Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="5" style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| O'Neill {{small\|1977–1987}}
96th
97th \| rowspan="8" \| 150px \| rowspan="8" \| Robert H. Michel {{small\|(1923–2017)}} \| rowspan="8" \| Illinois 18 \| rowspan="8" \| {{dts\|January 3, 1981}} \| rowspan="8" \| {{dts\|January 3, 1995}}
98th
99th
100th \| rowspan="2" style="background-color:{{party color\|Democratic Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| Wright {{small\|1987–1989}}
rowspan="2" \| 101st
rowspan="3" style="background-color:{{party color\|Democratic Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="3" style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| Foley {{small\|1989–1995}}
102nd
103rd
104th \| rowspan="2" \| 150px \| rowspan="2" \| Newt Gingrich {{small\|(born 1943)}} \| rowspan="2" \| Georgia 6 \| rowspan="2" \| {{dts\|January 3, 1995}} \| rowspan="2" \| {{dts\|January 3, 1999}}{{efn\|name=resigned\|Resigned from office and from Congress.}} \| rowspan="2" style="background-color:{{party color\|Republican Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="2" \| Himself {{small\|1995–1999}}
105th
106th \| rowspan="4" \| 150px \| rowspan="4" \| Dennis Hastert {{small\|(born 1942)}} \| rowspan="4" \| Illinois 14 \| rowspan="4" \| {{dts\|January 6, 1999}} \| rowspan="4" \| {{dts\|January 3, 2007}} \| rowspan="4" style="background-color:{{party color\|Republican Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="4" \| Himself {{small\|1999–2007}}
107th
108th
109th
110th \| rowspan="5" \| 150px \| rowspan="5" \| John Boehner {{small\|(born 1949)}} \| rowspan="5" \| Ohio 8 \| rowspan="5" \| {{dts\|January 3, 2007}} \| rowspan="5" \| {{dts\|October 29, 2015}}{{efn\|name=resigned}} \| rowspan="2" style="background-color:{{party color\|Democratic Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| Pelosi {{small\|2007–2011}}
111th
112th \| rowspan="3" style="background-color:{{party color\|Republican Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="3" \| Himself {{small\|2011–2015}}
113th
114th
114th \| rowspan="2" \| 150px \| rowspan="2" \| Paul Ryan {{small\|(born 1970)}} \| rowspan="2" \| Wisconsin 1 \| rowspan="2" \| {{dts\|October 29, 2015}} \| rowspan="2" \| {{dts\|January 3, 2019}} \| rowspan="2" style="background-color:{{party color\|Republican Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="2" \| Himself
115th
116th \| rowspan="3" \| 150px \| rowspan="3" \| Kevin McCarthy {{small\|(born 1965)}} \| rowspan="2" \| California 23 \| rowspan="3" \| {{dts\|January 3, 2019}} \| rowspan="3" \| {{dts\|October 3, 2023}}{{efn\|Kevin McCarthy was vacated as speaker and House Republican Leader on October 3, 2023, until the election of Mike Johnson on October 25.}} \| rowspan="2" style="background-color:{{party color\|Democratic Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="2" style="background-color:#EAECF0;" \| Pelosi {{small\|2019–2023}}
117th
118th \| California 20 \| style="background-color:{{party color\|Republican Party (US)}};" \| \| Himself {{small\|2023}}
118th \| colspan="3" \| Vacant \| {{dts\|October 3, 2023}} \| {{dts\|October 25, 2023}} \| style="background-color:{{party color\|Republican Party (US)}};" \| \| style="background-color:#E6E6AA;" \| McHenry{{efn\|name=protem\|This person served as speaker pro tempore.}} {{small\|2023}}
118th \| rowspan="2" \| 150px \| rowspan="2" \| Mike Johnson {{small\|(born 1972)}} \| rowspan="2" \| Louisiana 4 \| rowspan="2" \| {{dts\|October 25, 2023}} \| rowspan="2" \| Incumbent \| rowspan="2" style="background-color:{{party color\|Republican Party (US)}};" \| \| rowspan="2" \| Himself {{small\|2023–present}}
119th

=Notes=

Conference chairs

The conference chair is elected each Congress.{{Cite web|title=Republican Conference Chairmen {{!}} US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives|url=https://history.house.gov/People/Office/Republican-Conference-Chairmen/|access-date=2021-02-04|website=history.house.gov|language=en}}

class=wikitable

! Chairman

! State

! Congress

! Dates

Justin S. Morrill

| VT

| 38th–39th

| 1863–1867

colspan="2" |N/A

| 40th

| 1867–1869

Robert C. Schenck

| OH

| rowspan="2" | 41st

| rowspan="2" | 1869–1871

Nathaniel P. Banks

| MA

Austin Blair

| MI

| 42nd

| 1871–1873

Horace Maynard

| TN

| 43rd

| 1873–1875

George W. McCrary

| IA

| 44th

| 1875–1877

Eugene Hale

| ME

| 45th

| 1877–1879

William P. Frye

| ME

| 46th

| 1879–1881

George M. Robeson

| NJ

| 47th

| 1881–1883

Joseph G. Cannon

| IL

| 48th–50th

| 1883–1889

Thomas J. Henderson

| IL

| 51st–53rd

| 1889–1895

Charles H. Grosvenor

| OH

| 54th–55th

| 1895–1899

Joseph G. Cannon

| IL

| 56th–57th

| 1899–1903

William P. Hepburn

| IA

| 58th–60th

| 1903–1909

Frank D. Currier

| NH

| 61st–62nd

| 1909–1913

William S. Greene

| MA

| 63rd–65th

| 1913–1919

Horace M. Towner

| IA

| 66th–67th

| 1919–1923

Sydney Anderson

| MN

| 68th

| 1923–1925

Willis C. Hawley

| OR

| 69th–72nd

| 1925–1933

Robert Luce

| MA

| 73rd

| 1933–1935

Frederick R. Lehlbach

| NJ

| 74th

| 1935–1937

Roy Woodruff

| MI

| 75th–81st

| 1937–1951

Clifford Hope

| KS

| 82nd–84th

| 1951–1957

Charles B. Hoeven

| IA

| 85th–87th

| 1957–1963

Gerald Ford

| MI

| 88th

| 1963–1965

Melvin Laird

| WI

| 89th–90th

| 1965–1969

John B. Anderson

| IL

| 91st–95th

| 1969–1979

Samuel L. Devine

| OH

| 96th

| 1979–1981

Jack Kemp

| NY

| 97th–99th

| 1981–1987

Dick Cheney

| WY

| 100th

| 1987–1989

Jerry Lewis

| CA

| 101st–102nd

| 1989–1993

Dick Armey

| TX

| 103rd

| 1993–1995

John Boehner

| OH

| 104th–105th

| 1995–1999

J. C. Watts

| OK

| 106th–107th

| 1999–2003

Deborah Pryce

| OH

| 108th–109th

| 2003–2007

Adam Putnam

| FL

| 110th

| 2007–2009

Mike Pence

| IN

| 111th

| 2009–2011

Jeb Hensarling

| TX

| 112th

| 2011–2013

Cathy McMorris Rodgers

| WA

| 113th—115th

| 2013–2019

Liz Cheney

| WY

|116th—117th

|2019–2021{{Efn|Removal as conference chair}}

Elise Stefanik

|NY

|117th—118th

|2021–2025

Lisa McClain

|MI

|119th

|2025–present

Vice chairs

The vice chair is next in rank after the House Republican Conference Chair. Like the chair, the vice chair is elected by a vote of all Republican House members before each Congress. Among other duties, the vice chair has a seat on both the Steering and Policy Committees.{{cite web|title=House Leadership Structure: Overview of Party Organization|url=http://www.rules.house.gov/archives/RS20930.pdf|url-status=dead|format=PDF|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061129223815/http://www.rules.house.gov/archives/RS20930.pdf|archivedate=November 29, 2006}}

Robert Stafford of Vermont (1971)
Samuel L. Devine of Ohio (1971–1979)
Jack Edwards of Alabama (1979–1985)
Lynn Morley Martin of Illinois (1985–1989)
Bill McCollum of Florida (1989–1995)
Susan Molinari of New York (1995–1997)
Jennifer Dunn of Washington (1997–1999)
Tillie Fowler of Florida (1999–2001)
Deborah Pryce of Ohio (2001–2003)
Jack Kingston of Georgia (2003–2007)
Kay Granger of Texas (2007–2009)
Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington (2009–2013)
Lynn Jenkins of Kansas (2013–2017)
Doug Collins of Georgia (2017–2019)
Mark Walker of North Carolina (2019–2021)
Mike Johnson of Louisiana (2021–2023)
Blake Moore of Utah (2023–present)

Secretaries

class="wikitable"

|+List of successive secretaries of the House Republican Conference

!Congress

!Name

!State

!Term start

!Term end

colspan="5" |Position established

90th

| rowspan="3" |Dick Poff

| rowspan="3" |Virginia

| rowspan="3" |January 3, 1967

| rowspan="3" |August 29, 1972

91st

rowspan="2" |92nd

rowspan="4" |Jack Edwards{{Cite web|date=1972-09-12|title=Anniston Star, Sep 12, 1972, p. 10 {{!}} NewspaperArchive®|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/anniston-star-sep-12-1972-p-10/|access-date=2021-02-04|website=newspaperarchive.comn}}{{cite web|url=https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/library/document/0054/12130699.pdf|title=Ford Press Releases, September - December 1972

|website=fordlibrarymuseum.gov|access-date=29 June 2023}}

| rowspan="4" |Alabama

| rowspan="4" |August 29, 1972

| rowspan="4" |January 3, 1979

| rowspan="3" |Clair Burgener

| rowspan="5" |California

| rowspan="3" |January 3, 1979

| rowspan="3" |January 3, 1985