House Prepares to Vote for Speaker as Kevin McCarthy Tries to Rally Support
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
WASHINGTON—House lawmakers prepared to select their new speaker Tuesday, as Republican leader Kevin McCarthy's bid remained up in the air due to opposition from some conservative lawmakers, setting the stage for a dramatic vote.
The speaker election is set for midday, and comes after Mr. McCarthy spent the weekend trying to get the votes necessary from House Republicans to win the gavel. House Republicans are expected to meet in the morning ahead of the vote, which will give Mr. McCarthy and his allies one final time to make a pitch that he should be elected speaker.
Mr. McCarthy has acquiesced on requested rules changes that give rank-and-file members more power, including making it easier to oust a speaker, but a significant number of GOP lawmakers said they remained opposed to the Californian’s bid.
Because Republicans have such a narrow majority over Democrats—222 to 212, with one vacancy—Mr. McCarthy needs almost unanimous support from his party. Lawmakers and aides said the outcome is uncertain. If all Democrats back their own leaders as expected, Mr. McCarthy can lose only four votes in the roll-call vote, in which the winner must get 218 votes or the majority of all those present and voting.
A failure of Mr. McCarthy’s bid would be unprecedented in modern history and underscore the shaky state of the Republican majority and the raucous nature of its conservative wing, which has caused trouble for party leaders in the past decade. In 2015, then-Speaker John Boehner resigned in the face of conservative pressure . No speaker vote has failed on the first ballot since 1923.
The vote is the first action in a new session that is expected to kick off two years of intense political battles over issues including immigration policy, Ukraine aid and energy production, with the Senate still controlled by Democrats. Lawmakers are also bracing for a fight over the debt ceiling later this year, with many Republicans intent on using the limit to force Democrats to agree to spending cuts.
About two dozen Republican members haven’t said how they would vote, and five are firmly against Mr. McCarthy, citing doubts about his conservative bona fides, as well as personal disputes. Other Republicans have grown frustrated with the holdouts, saying they are undermining the party and its agenda, which includes quickly moving to pass a bill reversing funding increases for the Internal Revenue Service.
The House will convene on Tuesday at noon. After a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, there will be a quorum call to check attendance. From there, the speaker vote will start, with nomination speeches. Mr. McCarthy will be nominated by Republicans and Democrats will nominate their choice for minority leader, New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries. The winner will succeed Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.), who led Democrats for two decades and was the first woman to lead the chamber.
The speaker vote is an alphabetical roll-call vote, with members saying the name of the person they want for speaker.
If a candidate doesn’t win a majority of House members then another roll-call vote is taken. Both Mr. McCarthy’s supporters and opponents have indicated they think the vote could go to a second ballot, which hasn’t happened since 1923. That year, it took nine ballots to select a speaker.
Should Republicans remain gridlocked after several ballots, many lawmakers and aides expect the conference to call an emergency meeting to debate in private. If it is clear that Mr. McCarthy can’t sway his detractors, an alternative candidate could emerge. That could be Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the current minority whip, who is set to be majority leader in the new Congress. He has said he is firmly behind Mr. McCarthy. It could also be a well-liked member who isn’t now in leadership.
The House speaker dictates which bills make it to the floor, and is responsible for shepherding must-pass legislation, such as spending bills, that typically need bipartisan support, and negotiating with Senate leaders and the White House. Democrats continue to control the Senate.
Mr. McCarthy has served in Republican leadership since 2009, shortly after he arrived in Congress in 2007. Mr. McCarthy first made a run for the speakership in 2015, which failed after he made what was widely seen as a gaffe in a television interview about House Republicans’ Benghazi investigation, when he said the probe was an effort to tank Democrat Hillary Clinton‘s poll numbers. Paul Ryan took the job instead , and Mr. McCarthy became his No. 2. Mr. McCarthy has led the party as minority chief since 2019.
While some Republicans supporting Mr. McCarthy cite his longtime experience in leadership as an advantage, his detractors have long-held conflicts with him, making it difficult for them to back him. They also say he has been too eager to work with Democrats, an impression he tried to erase in recent months with his opposition to the bipartisan omnibus spending bill that passed in December.
Rep. Bob Good (R., Va.), a McCarthy detractor, told Fox News that he thinks up to 15 Republicans would vote for a candidate other than Mr. McCarthy on the first ballot. Those lawmakers will likely vote for Rep. Andy Biggs (R., Ariz.) the first time, but on the second ballot, he said they have an undisclosed consensus candidate.
Many Republicans have promised to back only Mr. McCarthy, with some donning “O.K.” buttons on their lapels in December, standing for “Only Kevin.” They say they would support Mr. McCarthy on any ballot, no matter how many it takes.
Mr. McCarthy has had to make efforts to win over far-right conservatives who want changes to House rules that would give them new powers to challenge the leadership. Mr. McCarthy has offered to change the rules to allow five House lawmakers to bring a “motion to vacate the chair,” a procedure that could lead to a speaker losing his job if he upset a handful of members. Under current rules, only party leaders can bring such a motion.
Mr. McCarthy said in a letter to Republicans on Sunday that he is striving for ideological balance on committees, meaning that hard-line conservatives may get the positions they have asked for on top committees, such as Appropriations. Mr. McCarthy has delayed setting up committees where battles are expected for coveted leadership roles, to avoid upsetting lawmakers before the speaker’s race.
In a statement dated Sunday, nine House Republicans wrote that Mr. McCarthy hadn’t yet satisfied their demand for changes to how the House operates. The statement said that “the times call for radical departure from the status quo” in House GOP leadership.
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Nothing gets done in the House until a new Speaker is elected. Not even the swearing in of the newly elected members.
If this goes on for too long the GOP faithful will begin to lose faith.
Should be a 'fun' day or many for Cheryl L. Johnson.
Believe it or not it might be an even better day for Rep. Steve Scalise.
Or Elise 'Machiavelli' Stefanik ... yikes!
You wish.
Save it for the immature morons that Marc Elias registered to vote.
That didn't take long ... chuckle ...
Vic, the GoP is responsible for its own failures and tossing squirrels will not hide them.
As far as not stopping him in the summer of 2020: they are responsible.
Brighten up, it's a veritable popcorn day.
Everyday is a good day for trolls.
Everyday is a bad one for gnomes. Ah the balance of nature ...
Ya! So true, yet funny how 'here' it's anyone's and everyone's fault for their incompetence, impotence and failures when they are their own!
You have 2 safe spaces to spew hate. Be gone.
Only 2? Damn, that's 3 less than you have.
Back to Kevin, did someone 'Jew-ish' die and all the mirror mirror on the walls get draped over?
What hate does Hallux spew? None.
Certain other posters on the other hand, do nothing but spew hate
Only the stuff they want me to swill.
I already have. If the Republican "leader's" don't soon get their shit together and act as united and committed party, they will continue to lose elections at all levels, and that extends to the states as well.
At the voter level, the idiot Trump election deniers are going to have to wake up by '24 or they are doomed to obscurity for the next 20 years.
So very true. All one has to do is look at recent history to see this. The '22 election was set to be a huge red wave, yet it failed because so many of the Trump election deniers ended up winning the primary and failed miserably in the general. Will party leadership see it and take action for '24 or will they continue to allow Trump and his "army" to fuck up the works.
If the voters can put that above, inflation, crime and open borders, we are already doomed!
You are leaving out Democrats that backed those election denier candidates in the primaries (like in Michigan) that they decried so much, with millions in free campaign advertisements.
Also, Establishment Republicans like McConnell that pulled funding from those Trump candidates that won their primaries. Nothing like willingly throwing away seats to the opposition so he could stay in power.
It is time for Establishment Republicans to bury the hatchet with Trump Republicans as well. This isn't one side capitulates and everything goes back to the Establishment status quo. We already have seen what that results in, with McConnell's complete sell out on the Omnibus bill. AKA total Democrat pork. Of course he claimed victory since he got Democrats to increase military spending; and sent 45 billion more to Ukraine. Like Democrats were going to deny either one of those things. The US military needs to be restocked otherwise all of those arms and munitions shipments to Ukraine will end; and Democrats love Ukraine (they are getting their inner Fascist on)- no way they are ever going to deny funding. The only winners in the Omnibus bill are the Democrats, the Establishment, and Establishment Republicans who are lining their pockets in campaign contributions and entrenching themselves for future cushy company board memberships and think tank jobs.
Republicans need to remember what they stand for. Individual rights (not the Democrat special rights based on race, perceived or altered sexuality/sexual identity, and income); small government; lower taxation; free markets (equal opportunity); a strong military; equality under the law; and border security. Establishment Republicans can cram the talk about working across the isle; until they can prove it is an even exchange.
Voters already did at midterms.
Politics is more about perception than reality now. Republicans to act like Democrats. Impeach Biden two or three times (Except it will be for real crimes; not Hillary Clinton and Democrat manufactured ones); impeach Fauci and Mayorkas; release Brandon's and all of the Jan 6th committee's tax returns (including Pelosi's); and conduct investigations into every Democrat fuck up since they took office. Make sure every last voter knows that the Democrats are not just in the swamp; they are controlling it and expanding it.
Republicans also need to copy Democrats tactics on registering voters; getting their own voters to vote early; ballot harvest (where legal); and change voting laws to benefit themselves- while fighting Democrat voting laws in the courts tooth and nail that disenfranchise Republican voters.
You are saying that Republican voters are so stupid they took the advice of Democratic commercials.
All those weirdo candidates got on the Republican ballot because they were promoted by Donald Trump. No Democrat ad could make someone vote for a far right nutcase that didnt want to already.
You are saying Democrats are such big POS that they funded Trump backed Republican candidates they accused of being traitors; just so they could win an election? Must be great to support a party of power hungry hypocrites that would willingly put the country in danger if they lost. Of course Democrats don't really believe the BS they spew. They have more than enough election deniers in their own party that are never held accountable.
Several states have open primary voting, which you don't know it seems. That means that you can vote for whatever party you want in the primary. In Michigan they ask you if you want a Republican, Democrat, or Independent ballot for primary voting. That is it. They don't ask what party you are register to or anything else. Democrats were running unopposed for the 4 top positions in the state. Many Democrats took that opportunity to cross over and vote in Republican primaries. They voted for Trump Republicans to make sure Democrat candidates could win in the general elections.
Republicans need to learn how to game the system like Democrats do.
As an independent, I read all this commentary and it seems that the GOP still doesn't get it. You can not win without independents and independents don't want extremists. McConnell did the right thing when he pulled funding from those Trump candidates. There is no way that independents would ever vote for those people. The red wave that should have happened didn't because we still have people who are way too devoted to one man, and that is very disturbing.
You don't think Democrat extremists weren't elected during midterms? You don't think Democrat extremists weren't running against Trump candidates?
McConnell did the right thing for McConnell to stay in power. He cares more about that than subjecting his constituents to Democrats running this country into a ditch.
Especially when they are outspent on advertising 10 to 1 in many instances. When the only thing being heard is the Democrat narrative of Trump and Jan 6th! Seems that reality went away; and was replaced by a fictitious narrative that electing Trump candidates would ruin our country. Forget high gas prices, inflation, crime, open borders, record setting illegal immigration, more people dying under Biden's watch than Trump's due to Covid, our new spectacular two tier justice system, recession, the botched Afghanistan withdrawal, or the new never ending money pit proxy war in Ukraine.
We will see if voters really care about issues in 2024; or how a candidate/party is perceived. Republicans control the House. They can drag the Brandon administration through the ringers for the next two years. I am willing to bet that voters will care more about perception- especially when it so close to reality.
Of course, there were. The difference is that they don't answer to one guy.
How does that help him stay in power? The way he keeps his job is by engaging independents and he knows he won't with extremists.
I'm sorry that you don't see Jan 6 as a problem. I do. The reason it went away is because now the house is in the republican hands, and they are not going to chase that dog. As for some of those nut jobs that Trump endorsed, pleeeze.
So let's go over that. Gas prices are going down. Inflation is a worldwide issue that is not going away anywhere. Open boarders is a big problem, and I would like to see that taken care of. As for Covid deaths, please tell me what Biden was supposed to do? We are not in a recession. Afghanistan was a mess, and we have to support the war in Ukraine, as far as I am concerned, unless you like an embolden Russia.
Btw.. I really should have never responded to you, since you used that ridiculous term, Brandon. But I figured it was worth going over your comment point by point, although I realize it is probably lost on you.
First of all, you will have to prove that Democratic votes accounted for these nutcases being nominated. If you have proof lets see it. Just saying some states have open primaries doesnt cut it.
Secondly, this claiming that Democratic tv ads got far right nutcases nominated is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. MAGA voted for these wackos in the primaries because Trump told them to. He is their leader and they do what he wants. More moderate people dont vote in primaries, particularly the republican primaries.
He isn't a member of the Legislature or the Executive branch, he cannot be impeached by Congress.
As a Cabinet member have at him.
Both are already public record.
Why? Revenge?
This is why I rarely bother to read you angry rants
It is beyond immature to refer to President Biden as Brandon and ridiculous ant tiresome.
No one takes him seriously
It's useless, tiresome, and redundant. I rarely waste my time even reading his comments
After all the name calling you did to President Trump? All I can say is wow.... This really says it all..
When the shoe fits little buddy, when the shoe fits. Truth isn't immature, it's truth
Plus, no need to talk to me if you're just going to insult me. Buzz off why don't you?
Stop imagining you are a victim. There were no insults in his post. He merely remarked truthfully on your posts.
Hate to disagree, but we both really know that will never, ever be 'all'.
Unfortunately.
It says absolutely nothing, as usual
we both really know that will never, ever be 'all'.
He was part of 1/6 and went to Mar-A-Lardo to consult with him/kiss his ass following the insurrection, which #45 incited and led along with the rest of the gqp involved in the failed insurrection
McCarthy the traitor that is
Using your logic Pelosi, Schumer, and Bowser are traitors then for failing in their jobs to make sure the capital was secure.
All evidence that the Jan 6th committee is hiding on those 3 failing to do their jobs needs to be released to the public immediately.
Projection, deflection, and denial are all you have to offer
Ho Hum
Plus outright lies
Hmmm, interesting times to be sure. The House Freedom Caucus got him to back out in 2015 when Boehner stepped down because they viewed him as hard-core Washington establishment. If McCarthy does get the Speakership, how much power will this hard right group end up holding and how far to the right will they be able to push the House? Much like the hard left groups impacted the Democrats these past years, the Republicans could end up being pushed further to the right. IMO if they push too hard for pet projects / bills / investigations rather than doing work for the people that will also impact the future voting in '24.
That didn't seem to hurt the left in the last few elections. Maybe the people want to see their representatives fight hard for their constituents.
Fight hard for their constituents, yes. Continue to carry water for the stolen election, no. Endless investigations against Democrats that appear more in retaliation, no.
There are legitimate issues / questions that need answers but there are also so many of them that IMO the House needs to be careful in their selection of what to investigate. If they try to investigate all of the issues from the very beginning it will look as if the Republicans are more interested in retaliation than governing. As the '22 election shows, it's kitchen table issues. Most banks are calling for recession in the first quarter of '23, if true there are a lot of people who will be hurting over simple economic issues that won't care what the investigation shows. This IMO is a very perilous time for any partisan majority due to the problems that people are facing every day.
But then again I could be overthinking it and forgetting that sheep will follow along and do what they are told to do and vote for who they are told to vote for.
Of course, investigate the investigators who had just cause in the first place
Protect and defend the gqp at all costs!
Go find John Boehner. Is he still crying like a little baby over Pelosi having to step down?
The gop/gqp do nothing for their constituents, it's all about what they can do for themselves.
WTF!?
You mean high gas prices, inflation, crime, open borders, record breaking illegal immigration, the botched Afghanistan withdrawal, and the never ending money pit proxy war in Ukraine aren't?
Democrats made the last election about Trump, Trump candidates, and Jan 6th. They completely ignored all the damage they have done; and voters still left them in charge!
You think Democrats have any ideas on how to stop the recession? They are going to continue to blame Republicans for not backing their ever increasing spending bills and use their sycophants in the media to try and make it stick.
Because the Establishment has served the US voters so damn well./S
Democrats sure as hell do; and they seem to infecting independent voters with their mindless partisan drivel. The best way to counter that is to expose the truth that Democrats have been fighting so damn hard to hide. Let the Democrats and media scream about Republicans partisanship and paybacks; it didn't Republicans any good for the last 6 years and counting.
Don't know, he's retired after serving 13 terms in the Washington establishment.
Gas prices, inflation and crime are the primary issues yes, the others IMO come after those in the minds of most people. The southern border and all the problems that come from it and the fucked up Afghanistan withdrawal are horrible examples of ineptitude in action by this administration but they are not kitchen table issues.
Of course they did. It was the smartest move the Democrats could do as they surely couldn't stand on their own record. And it paid off because they understood the mood of the voter better than the Republican leadership did. Republican leadership should never have allowed those Trump candidates to win, but they ignored it rather than piss off Trump. And IMO it bit them in the ass.
Of course they don't. They were successful in the huge financial giveaways that bring in more of the younger voters who think getting something for free is a good thing. Neither party has any real ideas or power to stop the recession, it's gonna roll over us in a big way I'm afraid. I'm already supporting two households now (mine and a daughter with health issues) and I'm very concerned for the future.
I've said it before. Republicans need to be very open and upfront / logical on what they do and present it all to the voting public. They need to stop thinking they know better than the public, put it all out there for everybody to see it. As they say, sunlight is the best disinfectant and the only thing that will counter partisan bullshit is the full unvarnished truth. If that truth also harms the political future of establishment Republicans so be it. But I'm not hopeful that will happen, the power of the political party leadership might be too great to overcome and definitely the greed of remaining in power by the individual is greater than the desire to bring out all the truth. I expect a continuation of the same partisan drivel that we have seen for many years where they try to release just enough to harm the other side while shielding themselves. IMO that's not good enough anymore, we should demand better than what we get.
I agree with you fully. It will never no matter how much we demand it. You either vote for the candidate with an R or D behind their name; or you throw your vote away. If we had more than just a two party system it might be different.
There is only one thing Kevin McCarthy will ever be remembered for 25 or 50 years from now - his pitiful subservience to Donald Trump when he went down to Maralago a couple weeks after Jan 6th and kissed Trumps ring (ass) and said "Godfather , can you help me?"
Thats is all he has or will ever have in his biography.
I thought he went much much sooner to kiss his big fat ass
After he and #45 incited and planned the failed insurrection on 1/6 for MONTHS
proof?
Or is THIS it?
Liberal = Reality
Good afternoon Tessylo,
I hope you had a great New Years and that the job hunt is going well. Hopefully you will find an employer that will allow you to post on here all during work hours like your last one did.
I think that would be a great fit for you.
Have a great New Year....
Please. Stop.
A man can only take so much!
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It didn’t matter. They still won’t vote for him.
This is just stupid. McCarthy is not standing in the way of these clowns obtaining their goals, whatever they are. Nor is any other possible speaker. Math is.
Joe Biden is President and nothing will become law without either his support or 2/3 of Congress. All the Republicans can do is use the House to say no to amnesty, open borders, massive spending, racial discrimination etc... These idiots ran as members of a party. One of the tradeoffs of being in a party is voting to support whoever the majority of the party wants to be Leader. If you can't convince your party to support your candidate, you vote for whoever the majority of the party does want. Its pretty simple.
I believe the concern for the House Freedom Caucus is that they believe that McCarthy is too much a Washington establishment politician rather than a Republican and would continue to work for the status quo.
Yeah, lets turn our government over to Marjorie Taylor Greene and Jim Jordan and Paul Gosar
Meh, Marjorie is the smart one in the bunch.
Either would be better than Nancy Pelosi.
Wonder what her/her husband's tax returns look like. Should be fun to see them.
Just to show how full of shit the far-Trump wing of the party is, Trump endorsed McCarthy and those nutbags still won’t vote for him.
Third ballot incoming . . .
Weirdly, the Trumpers are voting for Jim Jordan, even though he’s the guy who nominated Kevin McCarthy.
So they're voting for the pedo enabler.
Why not? democrats voted for actual pedophile in Biden.
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Fake news.
Alleged "showers with my dad:" President Joe Biden's daughter reportedly writes of alleged abuse in diary
Alleged "showers with my dad:" President Joe Biden's daughter reportedly writes of alleged abuse in diary (msn.com)
Ashley Biden's Shocking Diary Is Real, Confirming Creepy Joe Biden Allegations
Ashley Biden's Shocking Diary Is Real, Confirming Creepy Joe Biden Allegations (townhall.com)
Yes indeed. He's obsessed with pedophiles and President Biden isn't one of them
Because the authenticity of this document or the images published by National File have not been confirmed, any claims derived from the "diary" — including ones at issue here — must inherently be rated "Unproven."
Fake news and projection, deflection, and denial are all some have
Your link doesn't say that. It just claims the entries aren't proven.
Why do you think the FBI is involved, if the diary is fake?
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We know that Merrick Garland is completely worthless, but even he wouldn't prosecute someone for transporting stolen property. IE the diary if it wasn't true? would he?
The above-mentioned Harris and Kurlander pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport stolen property across state lines in their sale of the document to Project Veritas.
They usually are with anything concerning the President or his family.
They usually are with anything concerning the President or his family.
Not for imaginary or made up things. There's zero evidence the diary isn't legit. It's just hopes and wishes that its not.
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Reportedly and allegedly says it all! EXACTLY NOTHING
Phew! Santos voted for McCarthy ... all is cool! /S
Omg....I was watching a little of all this, sorry but the republicans are looking like a clown show.
As expected, and this is just the beginning.
The "normal" Republicans have allowed the so-called "bomb throwers" to hold all the cards , and it gets worse in that regard all the time, and now those chickens are coming home to roost.
The bomb throwers agenda is to investigate Biden , Pelosi, etc. That is not government. But the normal Republicans have no power to stop it and it will kill them in '24. The majority of the American people do not want to see all these phony, insane, far right witch hunts. The Republican Party has thrown itself under the bus.
And the lemmings all vote lockstep together, Sheep!
At the rate they're trying to elect a speaker George Santos may lose in 2024 without ever having been seated from 2022.
Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger will hold their seats and run again in 2024.
I don't know if he'll be defeated. Look what idiotic lying did for Joe Biden.
Right. Because if the new House Members aren't sworn in the old ones get to keep their seats.
"Democratic House representative Marcy Kaptur signaled in an interview on Capitol Hill Tuesday that she would consider crossing the floor and voting for the Republican frontrunner Kevin McCarthy."
Could they be the only ones to save McCarthy?
If he found enough votes across the aisle he would have to guarantee the Dems something huge.
Why bother? His priorities are to beat and cause pain to the Dems, that won't happen
AND he will still have the 20 or so malcontents in his own party to deal with. Lose- lose situation.
Steve Scalise is the only logical choice.
No, there are better choices from a Dem perspective than Scalise. Pick a more moderate Repub candidate, perhaps an ex-Congressman, and poach 18 Repubs that won in Biden districts.
If the Dems were smart they would nominate the most conservative sounding Dem they have and try to get some moderate Reps to jump. Would that be a first? I'm gonna have to look that up....
1855 or 1856, 130 plus votes because there were 4 parties, the winner was from the American Party (?) and did a great job, the following year he turned Republican and eventually over time ran for House seats on 5 different party tickets.
In 1857 he resigned to be the Governor of Mass(R)
Multiple votes pretty much ended after the Civil war resulting in a solid two party system.
Nathaniel Banks was a purely political animal who changed party affiliation with the wind. He was a political appointment to Major General in the Union Army.
He had a checkered career in the Army.
He was also the first "outsider" ever elected Governor of Mass.
Post Civil War he easily won reelection to the House several more times for Mass.
You may finally be right.
As of a few minutes ago Kevin Wannabe McCarthy just went 0 for 6.
Hannity tried to confront one of the leading never McCarthyites:
‘I Asked You a Simple Question, Congresswoman’
"McCarthy offers concessions to secure votes from GOP holdouts ahead of 7th speaker vote."
If he can't get the votes now, he has to give it up.
He won't. He is bad as Pelosi when it comes to being power hungry.
He thinks that the Speakership is his by right for representing CA.
Nothing to do with California.
He has insisted that he "earned it" over the years.
As far as States go, Massachusetts has had the most Speakers, eight of the 54 Speakers.
Perhaps Tip O'Neil was the most famous Speaker from Mass.
Pelosi is the only Speaker from California so far.
Right now McCarthy is learning what John Boehner experienced when dealing with the "Tea Party".
There are no rules
The House has no rules?
Since when? Since Das Furher changed them all?
Since 1789.
The Constitution has no rules for choosing a Speaker,
nor does it specify what the Speakers duties are.
The current guidelines are simply the accumulation of tradition.
mostly since 1880.
Then why does either McCarthy or Jeffries or anyone need 218 votes to be speaker?
That's how elections work Vic. 218 is one more than half of the eligible voters.
The Constitution says they must elect a Speaker.
And as a slick radical once said "Elections have consequences!"
Had the GOP delivered on that red wave, McCarthy would be home free now.
Yes, I believe you are correct.
What is your point?
They don't. The House can vote to elect someone on a plurality. There's no requirement for 218 votes or a majority of voters. They can simply decide to elect whoever get the most votes if they want.
That would require a rule change PRIOR to the election.
McCarthy can change it if and when he becomes Speaker, as he will also
be the Chair of the Rules Committe and can change the rules for the NEXT Speaker
election.
A plurality system would have given the Speakership to Jefferies by now.
Neither Party will allow the Majority rule to change.
hat would require a rule change PRIOR to the election.
no. As you pointed out, there are no rules to change. It simply takes a point of order following a vote seeking a vote to change the winner to whoever receives the most votes, majority or not.
It's happened before.
plurality system would have given the Speakership to Jefferies by now.
Depends when its implemented.
Lol, make up my mind.
There are some basic rules, nothing in writing, just tradition.
Tradition is that the vote is majority, not plurality, unless as in 1849 and 1855,
the House members eventually voted to change to a plurality vote to put an end
to the madness.
Also the very idea that abstaining by voting present, is also a rule.
A rule that McCarthy may use to his advantage to win the Speakership with less
than a true majority of the vote.
All this drama should have been done behind closed doors weeks or months ago.
Not a good start.
Link please.
Did they change the rules PRIOR to the election in 1849 and 1855?
Already corrected and posted in the previous comment.
Please try to keep up.
It gets hard sometimes.
First there were no rules, then there were.
First it requires rule changes, although there were no rules, then there were.
First they had to change the rules before the election, then they didn't.
So sorry, did we tax your attention span?
Maybe Sean can explain the conversation to you.
Matt Gaetz just nominated Donald Trump for Speaker.
Might that shake things up?
“Matt Gaetz just nominated Donald Trump for Speaker.”
Matt Gaetz just showed how little regard he has for the process, as shown in his continued requests for blanket immunity.
The Speaker does not have to be member of the House.
Gaetz nominates Trump for House speaker
This is fucking hilarious!!!!!!
Vic called this yesterday as the thing to do to force their hand on McCarthy LMMFAO
You feel free to laugh, just jim…any serious look at these proceedings is just anything but laughable.
I was laughing at the fact that Vic called it. Anyone who thinks these "proceedings" are anything but a clown show has a serious problem.
And thanks for your permission to laugh.
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“…a clown show…”
Indeed.
And in 2123 they will look back and acknowledge just, jim…who was responsible.
vic didn't and never has called DICK. He may be 'right' but in general is wrong on just about everything.
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True, but do you think it would be rational, responsible and patriotic to vote Trump in as Speaker of the House?
Speaks poorly for Matt Gaetz (expected).
maybe we could just put them all up here on NT for all to see. I have some from as recent as today.
2 years past the date for getting a blanket pardon he never received from trump, and he's still kissing trump's fat ass...
If they get 25 members to vote for Trump, you'll see all the democrats vote for McCarthy and they'll do it in unity... Seig Heil!
Tell him. I wish they knew that.
“If they get 25 members to vote for Trump…”
Desperate times to invoke ‘he who shall not be named’ and counting on the infidels to bail out the incompetent.
Well, If McCarthy keeps rolling the dice, anything may happen.
What you might see is the election of a D Speaker with an R majority.
“Well, If McCarthy keeps rolling the dice, anything may happen.”
Well you know it won’t be the sacrificial lamb in Donalds.
Keep rolling snake eyes and soon enough no one will be willing to place a bet on anything to do with the dysfunction shown before they are to assume control of but one-third of the government.
That could happen if enough Republicans are out of the room if their names are called. The democrats, always on a tight leash, have been told to stay close to the House Chamber. Nobody has given such instructions to the Republicans that I know of.
Of course, if that were to happen, it would be the end of the GOP.
Why not?
Donalds would be a great choice...and...it would give Republicans the first black Speaker!
That would really piss off democrats.
It might be just what the GoP needs to get its act together.
Is that important? Does pissing off the other side help our nation?
looks like that church is getting ready to split.
He has no experience. He's a junior rep..
That fucking moron isn't qualified to be a garbage man or dog catcher.
He's a shithead. A moron. A hateful and divisive scumbag like the majority of his enablers/supporters
Who likes to shtup teenage girls.
If his ex-bestie is to be believed he has to pay teenage girls to shtup...
Now on to round 9 or will the moderates on both sides try to form a coalition government?
Maybe Round 10?
Now we are working on day 4 and round 12 or more... McCarthy can't lead people that don't want to be lead. He'll hand out enough rope to end up hanging himself and losing the next election to the Dems. The only way out is to form a moderate coalition and relegate these holdout idiots to nothing more than soundbites. I would think by now everyone but the Trump Humpers are exhausted on circus committee investigations and want some problems solved.
Interesting bit last night with Michael Steele and an ex-Republican House Member that there are at least three house members that are capable and willing to be House Speaker but are waiting for McCarthy to fold first.
After McCarthy folds it will only take a day or two to name a Republican Speaker that can get 218.
In the latest vote, number 14 Kevin Wannabe McCarthy came up one short after insisting that he had the votes. Opps.
I think it was 2 short (216). Looks like McCarthy is going to prevail. My hope was that he would give up and the GoP would rally around someone else (likely better). I am used to being disappointed.
216 is not a majority.
because 2 voted "present" only 432 votes were cast
and he needed 217 votes for a majority.
Unbelievably, the vote to adjourn or not is a plurality vote!
Nucking futz.
Fiddler on the roof - Tradition ( with subtitles ) - Bing video
There is a lot of confusion on the house floor right now and no one seems to know WTF is going on.
As my very wise grandfather would say about McCarthy, ''that boy could fuck up a one-car funeral''....
the first thing mccarthy needs to do after he wins is renege on all the deals and shaft the freedom caucus.
What a Clown Show this has turned into. They are going to have another vote and they are saying one republican will change to yes to get Wannabe elected as speaker of the house.
Unreal.
Here we go again, round 15.
The McCarthy Party changed enough votes to cancel the motion to adjourn.
Wow.
At least if he gets it, it will probably be after midnight.
Small blessings,
it looks to me like lauren and matt may have plans later...
As more people abstain by voting present
so far, Biggs and Bobert,
McCarthy needs fewer votes to win.
If nothing else changes and Gaetz votes present again
McCarthy will finally prevail with 216 out of 431 votes.
Crane just voted present also.
It's almost in the bag.
and it's midnight.
With (presently) only 428 voting out of 434
it is most likely that McCarthy will prevail
with a minority of the House voting for him.
Great start. /S
Almost out of popcorn...
Done deal.
Now they are stating they (McCarthy) doesn't have the votes for the as of yet unseen Rules Package.
Adjournment til Monday should be the next motion.
Now going for 15.
Mc Carthy thinks he now has Gaetz vote.
but I'll assume lauren has a lot more experience digging in her heels...
Probably less than Kamala.
what does lauren's documented stubbornness have to do with kamala?