A Republican congressman has filed a request to oust House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) in a new and unusual challenge to his leadership from the GOP’s right flank.

Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) on Tuesday evening filed a “motion to vacate the chair,” which, if successful, would force the election of a new speaker. Such a challenge has never before succeeded in the House, and only once before — 105 years ago — has it been attempted.

Meadows said Tuesday that he was trying to force a “family conversation” among Republicans on the course of congressional leadership after a series of conflicts between Boehner’s leadership team and a cadre of a few dozen conservatives.

“It’s really more about trying to have a conversation on making this place work, where everybody’s voice matters, where there’s not a punitive culture,” he said. “Hopefully, we’ll have some discussion about that in the days and weeks to come.”

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