Ohio House OKs Rules to Get to Work, Despite GOP Infighting

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) The Ohio House passed internal rules and can now proceed with its work despite an ongoing fight over power within the fractured GOP supermajority, which spurred competing claims about whos leading Republicans there, shouting by lawmakers during Tuesdays session and even talk of a possible lawsuit.

The evident disunity in what would usually be an uneventful vote on rules amplifies questions about how lawmakers there will function in the two-year session that began this month, which will include shaping the next state budget.

Earlier Tuesday, a majority of the GOP members elected Rep. Derek Merrin, of Monclova, as the official leader of the House Republican Caucus and its campaign arm, which also puts him in control of its spending.

Usually the majority caucus chair would be the same person chosen to lead the 99-member House, but Rep. Jason Stephens, of Kitts Hill, previously beat Merrin in the race for the powerful role of speaker, winning the job with support from the 32 Democrats and a smaller segment of the Republicans.