First, most of the majority leaders who became speaker were Democrats in the middle of the 20th century. During that time, Democrats had almost uninterrupted control of the House. Majority leaders usually grab the speakership only when the speaker steps down. Not surprisingly, many speakers like being speaker, and they don’t step down until their party relinquishes control of the House. Sam Rayburn, for example, was speaker for 17 years and only ceased being speaker because he died. Such long tenures have left little room for ambitious majority leaders.

Second, even when a speaker steps down, a majority leader may fall victim to the same tides that removed the speaker. Newt Gingrich, for example, was forced to resign after a poor GOP showing in the 1998 midterms. After Gingrich’s fall, Majority Leader Dick Armey didn’t take the gavel; he had enough difficulty just holding onto the majority leader position. Many in the Republican caucus blamed Armey for the election result.