The chairman of the largest conservative caucus in the House said Wednesday that House Speaker Paul D. Ryan could lose his speakership if he bungles the immigration debate.
Rep. Mark Meadows, who leads the Freedom Caucus, said there are ongoing conversations about new leadership in the House that aren’t necessarily focused Mr. Ryan, but his handling of the immigration debate will determine his future.
“I can say it is the defining moment for this speaker. If he gets it wrong, it will have consequences for him, but it will also have consequences for the rest of the Republican Party,” Mr. Meadows said Wednesday.
He said it defies history when the Senate is leading the House on tackling the “critical issue of the day.”
The North Carolina Republican said President Trump made immigration a key issue during his campaign and was elected in large part because he separated himself from other candidates.
“It is the defining moment more so than the budget or anything else that we passed,” Mr. Meadows said.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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