Three members of the House Freedom Caucus have jumped into the race to lead the ultra-conservative group next year, several members told The Hill, as Republicans prepare for life in the minority.

The lawmakers who are vying to become chairman are Reps. Scott Perry Scott Gordon PerryOn The Trail: How Nancy Pelosi could improbably become president GOP lawmaker: Systemic racism doesn't exist and there's 'more to the story' of Floyd's death We're united in an effort to end the FDA's dog testing mandate MORE (R-Pa.), Warren Davidson Warren Earl DavidsonHillicon Valley: Subpoenas for Facebook, Google and Twitter on the cards | Wray rebuffs mail-in voting conspiracies | Reps. raise mass surveillance concerns Bipartisan representatives demand answers on expired surveillance programs GOP-Trump fractures on masks open up MORE (R-Ohio) and Jody Hice Jody Brownlow HicePelosi must go — the House is in dire need of new leadership House Republicans investigating California secretary of state's contract with Biden-linked firm GOP lawmakers want answers from Disney on Mulan, China MORE (R-Ga.), according to members. Under current caucus rules, a lawmaker has to serve on the Freedom Caucus board in order to become the chairman.

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The Freedom Caucus, a band of roughly 30 conservative hard-liners, has wielded immense power in the majority by sticking together as a unified voting bloc to bend the party to its will, often demanding legislation that meets its standards. But the group will have significantly less power in the minority, though leaders of the group do have the ear of President Trump Donald John TrumpSteele Dossier sub-source was subject of FBI counterintelligence probe Pelosi slams Trump executive order on pre-existing conditions: It 'isn't worth the paper it's signed on' Trump 'no longer angry' at Romney because of Supreme Court stance MORE.

Rep. Mark Meadows Mark Randall MeadowsAnxious Democrats amp up pressure for vote on COVID-19 aid Pelosi hopeful COVID-19 relief talks resume 'soon' The Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - GOP closes ranks to fill SCOTUS vacancy by November MORE (R-N.C.), the current chairman of the Freedom Caucus, told reporters Friday that he was indeed planning to pass the baton to someone else next year, despite backing down from a bid to be the top Republican on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

Meadows stepped aside so that Rep. Jim Jordan James (Jim) Daniel JordanHouse panel pulls Powell into partisan battles over pandemic Sunday shows preview: Justice Ginsburg dies, sparking partisan battle over vacancy before election House passes resolution condemning anti-Asian discrimination relating to coronavirus MORE (R-Ohio), his good friend and fellow conservative ringleader, could become ranking member, sparking speculation that Meadows would opt to keep his title at the Freedom Caucus. Meadows, a top Trump ally, said he wasn't sure what his next move was.

“We have a good tradition of passing it along to new leadership every couple of years. I think we will do that in February,” said Meadows. “I’ve learned that if you hold on to things too long, it’s not good.”

Perry is thought to be the front-runner in the race, with some conservatives suggesting that he was being groomed for the job throughout the year. Perry, a helicopter pilot in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard who fought in the Iraq War, appeared alongside Meadows and Jordan during high-profile immigration negotiations with GOP leadership this summer.

“I believe Perry will get the nod,” one Freedom Caucus member told The Hill.

But Perry faced a tough reelection race this year after redistricting made his district more moderate, so it could be a risky political move to have a such high-profile role atop the conservative caucus.

Perry, however, has repeatedly dismissed the notion that it would impact how he serves in Congress.

“I believe in the things I believe in,” he said earlier this month. “Doesn’t matter where I come from. So why would that change?”

The other contenders in the Freedom Caucus chairmanship race are Davidson, who won former Speaker John Boehner John Andrew BoehnerLongtime House parliamentarian to step down Five things we learned from this year's primaries Bad blood between Pelosi, Meadows complicates coronavirus talks MORE’s old seat, and Hice, a pastor and former conservative talk radio show host.

Scott Wong contributed.