Lawmakers Are Planning For Next Congress

It's not even November, and lawmakers are already planning for the next Congress.

Republican leaders in the House are eyeing Nov. 19 and 20, when newly-elected members travel to Washington for freshmen orientation, to hold their internal leadership elections, GOP insiders confirmed Tuesday.

The prospect was discussed at a meeting of the party's top brass this week, but no formal decision has been announced.

Republicans typically hold their reorganization conference during new-member orientation, when taxpayers foot the costs of freshly-minted lawmakers to travel to Washington to pick offices, start hiring staff and learn how to find the bathrooms.

The results of these internal contests will be largely contingent on the results Nov. 4, when voters head to the polls. Heavy Republican could provoke rank-and-file lawmakers to challenge the current leaders, but few clear-cut candidates have emerged for the top spots.