Transcript for 'Powerhouse Politics': House Republicans on who should get the speaker's gavel

Hello welcome to a special live stream edition of powerhouse politics on ABC news political director reclined joined by our chief congressional correspondent. Mary groups we have two very special guests were now. Stars of at least the small screen new FaceBook series called the swamp congressman rod long from Iowa and congressman Ken Buck from Colorado. Gentlemen welcome thank you. Thanks so much room so want to talk about the series in a moment but it strikes me in watching the initial episodes at FaceBook that. You guys fees the big moment right now in real time speaker Ryan just last week announces that he's stepping down at the end of this term you have a chance to pick a new leader. Who should that liter V and what what kind of we'll kind of mindset he Eagles sign out went. I don't know I don't know if you don't. Economic. Mason is here and he has two votes his and mine are still some rappers and it didn't like you was that you should be leaders mr. boxes that that you have to answer the question first who's who's the next Republican leader be. Why. In his palace intrigue stuff so much worse six months ago from well first of all was back when you keep aisles. The world we were speaker of the house secondly. I just hope it's somebody that's willing drinks while a bit if you will. And get back to regular order. And have a bottom up kind of organization. Ideas come from the members as opposed to what we saw on the bill recently were four people. In the entire congress school room and they decide what and bill in 2000 page bill that we have seven our victory so that needs change when you factory we need to listen to the the members and the idea should come from the membership. The leader of the house in our leadership group are there to support us. Most the time feels like -- support the members are others board the leaders I think it's it's backwards. So and so. Mr. buck do you think that Kevin McCarthy seems to have the inside track for this is he ready to take up that mentally in the right direction that you think you need a new voice. By I think he's ready I think the point that rod makes is that we need to have a disease. Somebody that is willing to step out from. Sort of the Boehner model of leadership and and I hope that it if Kevin is in fact that person can is willing to say we're gonna do things differently. Did Ryan step out from that well he said he was gonna step out and and he said that he was going and I like Paul again at Saint Paul is a conservative stuck in a swamp and and it's unfortunate but. I think that's Paul didn't do what he said he was gonna do we didn't bring regular order we've had more. Closed rules which means of bills with what that don't allow amendments. Than any any congress and in our history and and and now we have this it didn't seem. Leadership group that that apparently is gonna take over and that's why I am the campaign manager for for plum for speaker. In order to deal with some of those concerns you have perhaps about Kevin McCarthy making sure he doesn't get chewed up by the swamp as you say are there things you'd be looking for him. To promise legislative priorities. Chairmanships are there certain things you're gonna need to hear from him in return to get your. Vote assuming you don't get. I think the problem with DC is there's too much quid pro quo there's too much you give me this and I'll give you that I ending what we need from Kim and is it an attitude. Or whoever is that the new leader we need an attitude with. What do you think it and what can we do too. If you've got the same old people doing the same all jobs you don't get any new ideas and that's why the American people turn to the other party for new ideas we've got to have those ideas were much younger. And and much more in touch with the American people than than the Democrats are we should start acting like a I come from them. Private sector corporate world and as I told Paul Ryan when his term in the week als Ways and Means Committee running for speaker. Said you can bring new CEO and to a company that if you don't change any the vice president's you don't change the culture. And I implored him a big tend to change. The people underneath him and leadership so that the culture would change and he didn't left everyone in place and the culture. He tweet that around the edges but the culture didn't change we need to change the culture. So often if if it is Kevin that's going to be the next speaker and have been speaker that I think the people underneath him need to be changed but also cultures and ever going to change. Does that mean he want to make sure that that your voice is represented in leadership and perhaps a different position. Yes real why are you were members of the house freedom to spend we need we need to be more involved in the in the process so yes definitely. In force and from the house freedom caucus either being. Speaker of the house or or majority leader or house whip are also cultures not going to change. Yeah they can move around the chairs trapped in put different people in different chairs but we're have the same thing a year from now we have right now unless we change the people poster. So in 1994 Newt Gingrich took over the house in and his group took over the house they had a term limit on chairmanship was sort of chairs can only serve six years. And that's a great idea because you allow. New members to to move up in in the party structure you would think. But if all you do if you take a chair from one committee you make him a chair and another committee you're still blocking those ideas from coming up. The Democrats have a horrible system they they they literally people are talking about leaving even though they may take the majority because they have people that have been in place for 2030 years when. That the ranking member judiciary left he told me that he was working on the Nixon. Impeachment proceedings. And he just left congress. Connors aren't in a congressman Conyers. And so it is that that system's worst but we've got to make sure we just don't play that the musical chair game with our chairmanships so once. In its series and I know something that you bowl feel strongly about you talk about this in the series in the swamp. He is vis the whole the special interest groups on on both parties different groups different parties. My question for you guys is the what special interest groups that are aligned mostly with your politics with you or. Priorities with the Republican Party are you saying that you would dissident leaders there's no shortage on both sides but doesn't it have to sort was saying you know. Look Americans for Tax Reform war the the Coke Brothers and freedom partners for the NRA I don't want your support ending where if you really gonna break that hold a special interest across the board. Dropped a one rival to anyone who sees he's been but don't socket yeah. US chamber of commerce. US chamber of commerce is is a organization that promotes the X export import bank that promotes big government. That is hired by major corporations to. Engage in the kinds of activities that are just want like. And and I am I'm happy to go to their Christmas reception I'm happy to their food but what ever are in favor something if it really makes me concerned. In I for one. I know there's something called the First Amendment in the freedom of speech. So I get that but I for one would love to see all outside money 100% of outside money eliminated. In the house representatives its two year term. And I Ayman Democrat district for example very competitive targeted district my district two years ago my rates eight million dollars. For 24 months and images never ends this raising of money the quest for money. And hands special interest groups are more than happy to to fill that void a legacy special interest all that money. Taken out of politics with the things I couldn't believe I first got to Washington coming from the private sectors how much money. It is it is a call sloshing around him billions of dollars in in this town to influence. People like us only to get rid of all of it in just have. Have television stations. Televised debate. Actually we have to do twenty debates are thirty debates and let the elections be about ideas about principles not about who can raise and spend the most money. It influences those folks at it's it is. And we so we've got launching the series and were struck by one of the lines that you sediment saying as soon as you want something you become part of the swamp. But elected to get something done and we never comes to Washington trying to it to get something. Is that necessarily a bad thing. He it is a bad thing of what what were elected to do is to look at legislation and vote based on merit not vote based on personal interest so I say I wanna be in the Judiciary Committee. And and the speaker majority leader says that's great will put on the Judiciary Committee but in return you need to vote for this omnibus and thus doesn't have merit pay should be voting port. Each each in if I don't have merit to be on the Judiciary Committee I should be placed on the Judiciary Committee so. If there was a merit based system rather than a personal interest based system we would be far better off. That was that was my line yen in an. All I'm has defended and yes. And I absolutely agree with that that when you want something in this town that's what leadership has UP CI wanna be on what's called me. Committee like ways and means or financial services than you've got to get on the team is one of the house leadership that you need to get on the team. Get on the team is French for hand your voting card. To leadership. In and I was. Trying to get on ways and means committees Ways and Means Committee because I'm of this has gone private sector experience with. The economy and taxation. The end during the the house vote. On repealing replacing obamacare I was whipping as a no vote. And I would get calls from establishment members of congress. The Republican House. Saying this is what we mean by by being able to cast that half goals. And I said I really took exception of that and in and they said basically if you want to be ways and means you have to telecast that off bull. As with all due respect I think whipping know on a bill that the president wants a yes on is the twelfth vote in take me off the list for one to get out Ways and Means Committee. I peered out at that moment when you want something. You gotta be a member of the team and do and follow or you're not going to get on the committee you're not the leadership so the best place to be in this town is not wanting. Anything. From your party or from your leadership had and you can truly be independence catalyst. He really get anything done if you don't if you don't want something that's a lot of what congress is what you want in Iowa and what you wanna Colorado they're going to be different times got to work together a compromise I've parties are outside parties pushing the tip. Advocate and want something as part of that relationship. At you shouldn't be in this business shouldn't be in government if you don't if you're unwilling to compromise. The didn't come across as an account but I have principles needs or wants the need something tangible committee assignment yes. Once the economy to be better mom buys US government more freedom liberty and want a lot of things I'm talking about tangible right positions with inner part yes. It's also about what you may want to over the next six months as we head towards the mid terms what is realistic to actually get done in you talk so much about the need to rein in. Government spending obviously there was a lot of concern from many. Of your membership about this omnibus bill that just passed there has been discussion trying to rein in some of that spending going forward at dot. In XX. Realistic. Well. What rotten I would like deferred the Princeton. What problem like you've done is different than one leadership. When leadership wants to get done is not to make anybody take a tough. Going to these elections and make sure that. Folks have the best chance of getting reelected would ultimately proceed on. Is is to make sure that we her cutting as much spending as we can. Over the next six months I I think that that's you wanna see in the new cut and precision absolutely rescission package and and not just this year is a budget bill but but past years where were. Agencies of accumulated money. Take that money way but I think we get reelected because we do something positive not because we don't do something negative. I think we have to be risk takers I think we have to go out and we have to solved the immigration issue it is not that toughening Judas now. Get border security and start working on the immigration issue shall the American people that when they gave us power we used it right way. Solve the spending issues on the other issues. We've done very little really with the OP word epidemic let's start solving problems. And telling the American people they should trust us for two years. Finally formula you guys go the the title of the this is of course. I didn't. Get you get that on an Arlington. Acts when I want elementary companies is find out where he ties were dollars in arson post I'm not gonna do it on TV could weaken that section cut. A look at our outlet Q a what you are in this question first. So that the title of course is the swamp we heard the president drain the swamp drained the swamp and echoes interiors still if you licences it's funny sixteenth. I gotta say you look around at a lot of the stories of the developed the last couple months there's a lot of swampy headlines we're talking about. Spending on personal problem like cabinet agencies spending money to refurbish their office spaces tens of thousands of dollars at times. Whole lot of lobbyists popular eating these agencies a top levels to your mind. He is president trump draining the swapping scene get worse. I don't think it's getting worse. When the first times as with the president actors elected as with all due respect Mr. President I was in the dreams while before you were in the and I was when I ran for the senate job fighters ago talking about we need reform culture in Washington DC and changed the way. Congress operates we are seeing a lot of swampy things to use your words I think because we haven't I'll wire. Who's the president we have some from the private sector was the president whose body product of the swamp and I think these things are. Mercury there's a saying I can't see it on television from my about things coming to them. Surface I think these things are coming yes these things are coming to the surface because we have a president who is not of the swap. But there's little we can do onion and a tremendous guy and loves his past term limits a clumsy term limits on crew bureaucrats in this town on the C term movements on leadership. Speaker of the house Madrid you should be term limits on that 80% of Americans. Agree that should lifetime ban on line there's a lot of things we should we should cut our pay. Every year that we don't belts the budget for example we should he get rid this 87 million dollars slush fund for sexual harassment. In the this is unbelievable and other there's a lot of things that we need to do which is 10. Anyone would call for boat that particularly. Term limits Americans demand that they want to let's give them with a one but we make things complicated Mexicans. Let's is do we told the American people do. In the will be fine the next election will be complicate things under American's son is here for border security. American scissors balance the budget American censored to make sure we have a strong defense American citizens here because they one earned more money and they want the economy vibrant world. These are not complicated issues likens it wants to tackle immigration reform welfare of us is do what we said we do. It would but I'm a business guy can't believe this town we complicate. Everything's not that hard Republicans are on house. You do. But I think it's going verticals I think there's been a long time as a long time between well. Because 67 months in politics lifetimes we'll where's all let's let's see rat and seven month but the presence popular. His approval ratings I think 51%. Celeb that's in will run from. He he won my district by three percentage points. Four present while a woman district by eat he that's a 21 point. So the president is still very popular in my district and I believe we'll see what happens that a growing strong economy I think is. Pocketbook issues are always the top issues in its Charlotte for the runaway spending that you're strain conservative principles and sometimes with things are getting Don would it be a bad thing if the voters punish that guy's mind for the principled stand for the broader stand in Spain now. It is never good. To drain the swamp by electing Democrats it is never. New course issue is helping to drain the swamp that wouldn't happen when Democrats a lot of tax reform actually tax reform bill. Would not have happened with with Democrats. So so there are Scott Pruitt Betsy to boss all those folks are hoping to drain a strong. And the fact that they are being attacked. Means that they're doing a good job. They would not be attacked by the left if they were. Something that the left looked at this point or some on the left Lucas favorable so. I'm I absolutely think this president's is hoping to drinks while this town was built crosswalk. You can't drain the swamp over nighter in your first two years so it's gonna take of a period of time but I think to culture's changing DC. All right be called killer bees. Rod blonde from Iowa and Bob from Colorado congressman thank you yesterday and hear things they think programs. Thank you much that does it from here for Mary Bruce I'm Rick Klein thanks for watching check us out of abcnews.com all the law.

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.