Alex Pappas reports for the Daily Caller on recent developments in the campaign for the U.S. House’s top job.

The three Republicans running to replace John Boehner as speaker of the House met behind closed doors Tuesday evening with conservative members to make their pitches.

The candidates — Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz, California Rep. Kevin McCarthy and Florida Rep. Daniel Webster — separately addressed the group of about 50 to 60 conservative lawmakers at the Capitol Hill Club near the House office buildings. …

… Leaving the question session with the conservatives, Webster, the former speaker of the Florida House of Representatives, said he sold the conservatives on the idea of implementing a “principled-based, not power-based system.”

“It means that there’s a pyramid of power with a few people at the top of that pyramid making all the decisions,” he said. “Principled-based pushes down the pyramid of power, spreads out the base, so every member can be effective. I did it in Florida. I can do it again.” …

… North Carolina Rep. Walter Jones, who supports Webster, told reporters that he questioned McCarthy during the session about how he thought one of the leader’s staffers recently acted unprofessionally to one of his aides.

“I had a bill to name a courthouse for a friend of mine, a Republican, who died suddenly of a heart attack at 55,” Jones recalled. “And all the North Carolina delegation supported this bill. And yet, it got out of committee and nobody would put it on the floor. I resented that. And one of his staffers had a conversation with my staff that was not very congenial.”

Added Jones: “You’re judged by your staff. Your staff speaks volumes as to who you are and how you operate.”