On health care, there's little doubt that a Republican majority would quickly set a vote to ax the overhaul law — a symbolic move that has no chance of succeeding given Obama's veto pen. The GOP would then follow up with attempts to block key elements of the measure by denying the money to implement it.

But there are internal rifts over which portions to leave alone and which to target, with some conservatives predisposed to block as much of the law as possible and others worrying about obliterating politically popular elements.