For weeks, the hard-line conservatives in the House Freedom Caucus have said what they want most in Congress is a say in how the institution is run. Now, they have it — and they have until Friday to decide if they will support Representative Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin for speaker. Describing his reluctant willingness to lead the deeply fractured Republican conference, Mr. Ryan said in a closed-door meeting in the Capitol basement on Tuesday evening that he was insisting on the endorsement of three key groups: the (relatively) moderate Tuesday group, the mainstream conservative Republican Study Committee and the Freedom Caucus. Only the Freedom Caucus poses a real challenge, and there were already signs of dissonance on Wednesday/New York Times. More here.

Question: Love him or hate him, Idaho Congressman Raul Labrador is now embedded behind the scenes in high places in the U.S. House of Representatives. He has ridden the Freedom Caucus to power. Thoughts?