Third time’s a charm, evidently. This is a relief. The Republicans held a secret ballot after Jim Jordan’s three ballots showed him losing by an ever greater margin. Now Kevin Hern, who originally ran when Steve Scalise was considered the shoo-in, has thrown his hat back in the ring and others are expected to join him. The Hill:
It marks the latest drama in the more than two-week saga since eight House Republicans joined with Democrats to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Oct. 3.
Jordan was the GOP’s second shot at Speaker replacement. It had first narrowly nominated House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) for the post, but resistance to his candidacy — mostly from Jordan supporters — forced him to withdraw just a day later.
Scalise on Friday said he would not mount another bid for Speaker.
Jordan’s decision leaves the House in chaos and stuck, even amid a war in Israel and with a looming shutdown deadline.
Republican lawmakers said they would hold a candidate forum on Monday and a secret ballot election for a new Speaker nominee Tuesday.
It looks like Matt Gaetz and the seven other fringe extremists who ousted McCarthy won’t have to offer their pound of flesh — at least not to the GOP conference. The voters may choose to take up their offer, however. We can only hope and pray that’s the case.
Maybe the House will get rolling Tuesday. Or, is Gaetz going to rally his fringe to defeat Kevin Hern or whomever runs? If he does that, then his message is going to be clear: he’s looking to stonewall anybody reasonable that the GOP conference might possibly agree on.
There are only two paths open at this point: 1) The Republicans agree on a Speaker; 2) Unable to agree on a Speaker, they agree on a coalition government. That’s it. The delay tactic of elevating Patrick McHenry to an ad hoc role of Interim Speaker that is beyond that which is described in the Constitution fell apart after a couple of days. So that option is off the table.
A lot of Republicans hate the idea of a coalition government and that makes sense. So fine, then, elect a freaking Speaker.
Gaetz may very well have just run out of gas. He almost came to blows in a closed-door session on Thursday where McCarthy admitted yelling at him and another Republican, Mike Bost of Illinois said, “If you don’t sit down I’ll put you down.” Gaetz has a big mouth but methinks he’s not much for fisticuffs. Most big mouthed bullies aren’t.
Things got much much worse for Jordan during the secret ballot.
122-86 was the final tally. Jordan went down handily.
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 20, 2023
Only 86 GOPers were in favor of Jordan continuing his quest for the Speaker role. That’s pretty definitive.
It’s not even noon in the Pacific time zone and I feel exhausted already. But at least Jim Jordan won’t be the Speaker and Matt Gaetz suffered a big loss here today as well. MAGA hasn’t had a good day and Trump is hurting bigly since Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro flipped. These are glad tidings.
Merry Christmas to all and to all good luck
Jim Jordan, out for the count!
Some reporting says Bost did more than shout Gaetz down, and that he tried to get to him to actually do rather more than shout. Alas, despite his jarhead roots Mikey was over in the Air Wing (“Swhing with the Wing” is, or at used to be their unofficial tag-line) and while plenty over there are tough they aren’t combat arms types. Still, as it happens I know for a fact that in a physical confrontation, despite being noticeably smaller Bost would kick Gaetz’ ass!
You see, he’s not just a few years young than me. He’s from my small southern Illinois hometown! I went to school with his older sister and despite differing political views were friendly. I was never in “the” social circle like she was but still. And at one time we had a fair amount of engagement, sometimes good sometimes (in a civil manner) disagreeing on FB. I never really knew Mike but was in scouts with relatives of his and while he wasn’t in sports he was no wimp. He’s also got a temper and has been known to lose his cool. Yeah, he’d be willing to take a punch when pissed off to land a few of his own. Maybe too many people were in between them for him to get to Gaetz but had he done so bratty Matty would have a shiner or a bloody nose. Or both!
I’ve contacted Bost’s office more than once to say I’m ashamed of him over various matters, support for Trump in particular as he’s one of those who voted with the insurrection caucus from the beginning. But on this one? I have to be honest and say good job, and next time “try harder” if you catch my drift!
I’m still hoping that while the first order of business once the House starts “functioning” again is aid for Ukraine & Israel, followed by either finishing passing a budget or a CR to continue operations until a new Congress convenes in 2025 the very next thing is expelling Gaetz. Word is that there were already lots of GOP votes to be had on that if the Ethics Committee report said to be near release found him guilty. I’d imagine the number will be even larger now and the only question is whether Democrats would pitch in and in large numbers. To make his expulsion be by a four hundred vote margin just to make the point!
“…1) The Republicans agree on a Speaker; 2) Unable to agree on a Speaker, they agree on a coalition government. That’s it. …”
Not necessarily.
3) Keep up this charade of “trying so hard to elect a Speaker” which is a govt shutdown without calling it a govt shutdown.
Which is what they wanted all along.
I’ve been saying this for two weeks now, and only just the other day did you report on someone from “media” who tried the “concept” on. Not that hard to understand. Please forget the horse race nonsense (not you but MSM). All these bastards do is performative politics, this is no different.
My biggest complaint about the GOPers is their utter cowardice.
Jordan got 194 GOP votes in the House roll call vote with GOP 25 votes for others (there were 4 not voting, 2 Dems and 2 GOPers). But, in the GOP secret ballot, he only got 122 votes (with 86 decidedly against him and, given there were 219 GOPers voting in the roll call vote, apparently 11 GOPers who didn’t care either way in the secret ballot). So, at least 72 GOPers were too afraid (of something) to oppose Jordan when their names were open for the public to see.
Too bad we can’t find out who voted against Jordan in the secret ballot. Someone could write a new book called “Profiles in Cowardice.”
Gymslip is going coup-coup