In an age in which national parties have less clout than ever, being and becoming a congressional leader are both very difficult tasks. So the chaos on view this week among House Republicans — with as many as 21 of 222 GOP members blocking the selection of a new speaker and preventing the House from starting its new session — can be seen as a testament to the skills of the last speaker. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., faced some headaches, such as a 2018 takeover of her office by climate activists including then-Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. But they never turned into the sort of migraines…
