House Republicans seek to press their post-debate advantage

The latest: Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) filed a two-page resolution urging Vice President Kamala Harris to convene a cabinet meeting to invoke the 25th Amendment.

• The amendment allows a vice president, with support from a majority of the cabinet, to declare a president unable to discharge their duties and make the vice president the acting president.
• The resolution argues that Biden has "repeatedly and publicly demonstrated his inability to discharge the powers and duties of the presidency."

Yes, but: Harris spokesperson Ernesto Apreza quickly shot down the notion, telling Axios: "Vice President Harris looks forward to serving a second term with President Joe Biden."

• White House spokesman Andrew Bates cited remarks Roy made last year indicating he believed Biden had "out-negotiated" his GOP colleagues, led by then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
• "So it makes perfect sense that Congressman Roy would be threatened by the most legislatively-accomplished Democratic president in modern history," Bates added.

The big picture: Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) is trying to revive her flagging effort to have the House sergeant-at-arms arrest Attorney General Merrick Garland for refusing to turn over audio of Biden's special counsel interview.

• Republicans have long been eager to get as much material from that interview – in which Biden suffered repeated memory lapses – into public view as possible.
• The debate led some back benchers to push the idea, but it lacks the support of GOP leadership.

Zoom in: While Republicans are jubilant about the fallout from the debate, there is disagreement about how exactly to message on it and whether legislation is a good idea.

• Johnson indicated support for the notion of invoking the 25th Amendment, telling reporters he would be "having that discussion" if he were a cabinet member. But it's unclear if leadership will give Roy's bill a vote.
• Roy told reporters he planned to meet with the House parliamentarian to discuss his options — if any — for forcing a vote on the measure.

What we're hearing: There are different schools of thought on whether it would be better to run against Biden or an alternative, with some Republicans arguing that it would be to their advantage for Biden to remain on the ticket.

• House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) told Axios: "If a bunch of party bosses in smoke-filled rooms are going to try to yank the choice of the people before Chicago, I think there'd be a lot of people who would be outraged."

• Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) said he "selfishly" hopes Biden is "on the ballot in November because it will be a landslide election night for Republicans all the way down the ballot."

Between the lines: Other Republicans suggested a fight over replacing Biden would still be good for the GOP, especially given that chatter about a replacement often passes over Harris.

• "Is the party of going to literally bypass a Black, female vice president to put somebody else in? That is a huge question that they're going to have to answer," said Rep. Max Miller told Axios.

The other side: While many Democrats have voiced serious dread about Biden's performance, some argued that a lot can change between now and November that could shift the tides in the race.

• "I've been so surprised by twists and turns — it's early, and we have a long ways to go to the Election Day," a senior House Democrat told Axios.

Editor's note; This story has been updated with White House comment.