Republican chaos in the house continues
[guest post by Dana]
I honestly don’t have lot to say about the chaos in the House as Republicans try to secure a new speaker. With the ongoing war in Ukraine, an Hamas terrorist attack in Israel, and the next funding bill due in November, GOP members are not covering themselves in glory with their inability to elect a new speaker. The country needs a working House, laser-focused on doing the hard work they were elected to do. Sadly, that isn’t happening.
This morning, we are learning that it’s very likely that Rep. Jim Jordan will not be calling for a third vote:
Rep. Jim Jordan won’t hold a third speaker vote today, sources tell CNN, as he struggles to flip GOP holdouts. The Ohio Republican failed Wednesday to win the gavel for a second time.
Jordan fared worse in the second round, with 22 Republicans voting against him, compared with 20 who did not support him on the first ballot.
Jordan is now leaning toward backing a resolution to expand interim Speaker Patrick McHenry’s powers, sources said, but he wants to see how today’s House GOP conference meeting goes.
With the speakership undecided, I wanted to point out that several Republicans who voted against Trump-backed Jordan received death threats and that another representative who voted for Rep. Lee Zeldin both times was also threatened.
Exit question: If no one can reach 217 (which no one can), it seems that the only play left is to go with an interim Speaker McHenry. Is there another option??
—Dana
Hello.
Dana (6814c3) — 10/19/2023 @ 10:17 amIf empowering McHenry gives Jordan the chance to try to whip more votes for himself down the road, I vote no. Jordan needs to stand down and agree not to run anymore. Just because the lunatics broke it does not mean they get to own it.
Appalled (e76cf5) — 10/19/2023 @ 11:32 amSure there’s another option: admitting that Jordan will never be speaker and going with either of the folks that got more votes than Jordan. McCarthy had far results EVERY vote he ever faced, and Scalise was the Conference’s first choice to replace McCarthy.
Now many dead-enders does Jordan really have that won’t vote for McCarthy or Scalise?
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/19/2023 @ 11:42 amJust because the lunatics broke it does not mean they get to own it.
But I do hope they get to pay for it. Every one who voted against McCarthy should be primaried.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/19/2023 @ 11:43 amDrew Ferguson switched to a “nay” against Jordan because of the death threats. He sounds completely and rightfully livid.
There’s still a question as to how much Jordan conspired with Trump in attempting to overturn an election. He should never hold the Speaker’s gavel.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/19/2023 @ 11:54 amNot bloody likely.
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/19/2023 @ 11:56 amIn that particular hall of power, there are 8 who hold all the trump cards and are probably foolish to give them away for free.
steveg (d52ba7) — 10/19/2023 @ 12:03 pmThe more power they have, the more power they have for their constituents, so in that sense, they are fulfilling their duty.
Those 8 also know that this has an expiration date, so they need to leverage it while they can and also try to carve out protection for the future.
My guess is that within 3 weeks, enough will peel off to re-elect McCarthy.
Gaetz is a smirking cockroach and will survive. GOP needs a plan to render that Florida Panhandle roach sterile, because you can hit a panhandle roach with a shoe and it just walks away
House GOP abandons plan to empower temp speaker
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/19/2023 @ 12:05 pmThe Beatings Will Continue II
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/19/2023 @ 12:54 pmSource for post 9.
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/19/2023 @ 12:55 pmAnother link:
https://www.newser.com/story/341616/mchenry-plan-stalls-as-jordan-plans-another-vote.html
The McHenry enhanced Speaker pro tempore plan didn’t have enough votes either, so there will be a third vote for Speaker in which Jordan i a candidate, after all.
I think electing McHenry outright as Speaker (with intent to remove him after 5-8 weeks if the Democrats vote as usual) would have more votes.
It looks like the only way out could be to bring in the Democrats.
Which may perhaps break apart the Republican Party and maybe also prevent the re-election of Donald J. Trump.
Unless the Freedom caucus people want the United States or its allies, to lose a few wars. Unless a end to the government shutdown happens first.
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 10/19/2023 @ 1:32 pmYour insulting people who support a stalwart conservative that fell 17 votes short of becoming majority leader doesn’t say much for your desire to have a coalition elect a new leader.
NJRob (cdbd78) — 10/19/2023 @ 1:42 pmThe Speaker vote is rigged:
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/19/2023 @ 2:05 pmNJRob —
I think Jim Jordan is wedded to the idea of yet another government shutdown and that’s what he would do as speaker. Also, he would oppose Ukraine aid and not bring it to the floor, which I also oppose. So, for policy reasons, I don’t want him as Speaker.
Also, frankly, having eight guys bring down a speaker is not behavior that should be rewarded. Basic rule — do not incentivize behavior you don’t want repeated.
Finally, your friends on the populist wing need to learn that you don’t get everything you want by stomping your tiny minority feet. Because others can use the same rules to do unto you what has just been done unto them.
Finally, bullying and threats. There are too many populist allied who believe they are a good idea. They need to learn it’s not, because their Mamas didn’t teach them better.
Jordan needs to lose. He needs to be humiliated, if he keeps at it. At some point, this Freedom Caucus performance art just needs to END.
Appalled (e76cf5) — 10/19/2023 @ 2:07 pmRip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/19/2023 @ 2:05 pm
This is the sort of thing that used to happen in multiple ballot national party presidential nominating conventions. Somebody must have read or was familiar with a lot of political history.
The last time a convention wen to more than one ballot was 1948 for the Republicans and 1952 for the Democrats.
It would work in conventions because nobody knows really where the votes are coming or going from.
Sammy FInkelman (1d215a) — 10/19/2023 @ 2:16 pmIn Senate news, Laphonza Butler, appointed to US Senate to fill Dianne Feinstein’s seat, will not run for a full term.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/19/2023 @ 2:29 pmShe was not supposed to.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 10/19/2023 @ 2:30 pmAt the time of her appointment, Newsom said there were no conditions.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 10/19/2023 @ 2:31 pmGOP Lawmaker Estimates Two-Thirds Oppose Plan to Make McHenry Temporary Speaker
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/19/2023 @ 3:26 pmChecks and balances, amigo. If the Orange Party would rather let the government fall to pieces because that’s what some demented old baboon wants, the Democrats are there to prevent it from happening.
nk (2c1cfa) — 10/19/2023 @ 3:43 pmNo speaker as US destroyer shoots down attacking missles and revenging Israeli settlers ambush and kill dozens of palestinian workers heading for work on the west bank. what next mushroom cloud?
asset (9d6661) — 10/19/2023 @ 4:11 pmWhat a shame. A few Republicans decide they don’t like the party’s elected leader, get all in a fuss about not getting their way and end up causing a mess that hands control to the Democrats.
But enough about NeverTrump and 2020.
lloyd (369fc8) — 10/19/2023 @ 8:47 pmHouse pro tem speaker threatens to quit if “GYM” jordan supporters don’t stop threatening him.
asset (b6a7fa) — 10/19/2023 @ 10:08 pmAt the time of her appointment, Newsom said there were no conditions.
Signifying nothing.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/19/2023 @ 10:39 pmAlso, frankly, having eight guys bring down a speaker is not behavior that should be rewarded. Basic rule — do not incentivize behavior you don’t want repeated.
The next speaker should make an example of Gaetz.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/19/2023 @ 10:40 pmSo you demand your wishes are followed and screw the other guys. What makes you any different than them?
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/20/2023 @ 6:19 am8 guys did not bring down the McCarthy. He brought himself down when he made promises to become speaker and then welched on them. Period.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 10/20/2023 @ 6:20 amThat Jordan still cannot concede that Trump lost in 2020 should disqualify him from the Speakership. The GOP can’t afford to have a cultist who’s 2nd in line to the Oval Office.
Does the GOP really want a guy who hasn’t had one of his own bills passed into law in 16 years but had the time to appear on FoxNews 565 times since 2017? Talk about a show horse.
Paul Montagu (d52d7d) — 10/20/2023 @ 6:53 am#26
I will not be happy with Jim Jordan as Speaker and if I were in the House, I would vote against him 10 times, 100 times, 1000 times. That’s for policy reasons, political reasons, and to get the Trump influence out of the GOP. (I’m allowed to dream, Rip)
I do feel that the flying monkey tactics being used against moderate GOP members is emblematic of what I can’t stand about today’s GOP. The only reason Jordan would keep at it is that he expects these tactics to work against people he thinks are weaklings. The only thing that will dissuade these folks is losing and losing some more.
Appalled (4cbcb3) — 10/20/2023 @ 7:41 amI agree, which is why Democrats remain rock solid in refusing to support any Republican speaker (at least without a deal).
The last time (and the only time in 110 years) that a Democrat voted for a Republican speaker (James Traficant voting for Dennis Hastert) Traficant was stripped of all his committee assignments (which is the worst thing the Speaker can do to Gaetz.)
But Gaetz won’t care; like Jordan, he’s not interested in legislating. He’s more interested in running for Florida governor in 2026.
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 7:51 amYou won’t get any argument from me.
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 7:52 amMY dream is that Scalise gets more votes than Jordan today. Fervent wishcasting.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 8:07 amDue to absences, Jordan will need 214 votes to become Speaker. If six Republicans vote for other persons to become Speaker, Jordan loses. Four Democrats did not appear during the quorum call, but if they do show up to vote, it will increase the threshold for Jordan to win.
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 8:19 amAlready 12 Republicans opposing Jordan, 66 in favor.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 8:22 amThe two Republicans who did not show up for the quorum call were both Jordan supporters-Reps. Wesley Hunt (R-Tex.) and Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.). Van Orden has left the country to visit Israel.
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 8:25 amIt’s more likely that Hakim Jefferies will receive more votes than Jordan.
Rip Murdock (817b4f) — 10/20/2023 @ 8:38 amIt’s more likely that Hakim Jefferies will receive more votes than Jordan.
He did each time, so yeah.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 8:54 amAll Republicans who answered the quorum call have now voted. 194-25 (210 for Jeffries)
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 8:58 amOfficial. No Speaker elected.
Kevin M (ed969f) — 10/20/2023 @ 9:07 am