Congressional Leadership Megathread - McCarthy elected Speaker after 15 ballots, 4 days

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Roll Call has managed to reveal that if forced to choose, the 'o.k.' crowd would rather strike a Deal with Dems to elect Fred Upton Speaker, instead of capitulating to a Freedom Caucus choice. https://rollcall.com/2022/12/30/speaker-race-headed-toward-dramatic-floor-election/ (scroll to end)

ROTFL imagine actually thinking Fred Upton would be anything other than a complete non-starter for Democrats

I'm just reporting what is being pursued here. But hey, the beauty of a Speaker election is that you only need 218. The Freedom Caucus and the Progressive Caucus can each rage in their respective corners. Still leaves 291 members (accounting for the vacancy in VA-04) to come together behind a consensus choice.

Someone’s been watching too much West Wing

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

Roll Call has managed to reveal that if forced to choose, the 'o.k.' crowd would rather strike a Deal with Dems to elect Fred Upton Speaker, instead of capitulating to a Freedom Caucus choice. https://rollcall.com/2022/12/30/speaker-race-headed-toward-dramatic-floor-election/ (scroll to end)

ROTFL imagine actually thinking Fred Upton would be anything other than a complete non-starter for Democrats

I'm just reporting what is being pursued here. But hey, the beauty of a Speaker election is that you only need 218. The Freedom Caucus and the Progressive Caucus can each rage in their respective corners. Still leaves 291 members (accounting for the vacancy in VA-04) to come together behind a consensus choice.

Someone’s been watching too much West Wing

Never watched an Episode of that lmao.

[Torrain]

https://mobile.twitter.com/JakeSherman/status/1609678414151139330

If true, someone set up a lettuce and a livestream, because McCarthy will last about as long as Liz Truss.

[Landslide Lyndon]

https://mobile.twitter.com/JakeSherman/status/1609678414151139330

If true, someone set up a lettuce and a livestream, because McCarthy will last about as long as Liz Truss.

It means basically that MTG and Matt Getz will have McCarthy by the balls.

[Pres Mike]

https://mobile.twitter.com/JakeSherman/status/1609678414151139330
If true, someone set up a lettuce and a livestream, because McCarthy will last about as long as Liz Truss.

McCarthy will do anything just to have his Wikipedia page say "Speaker". But that will be the most significant part of his reign, a useless title.

[Torrain]

https://mobile.twitter.com/JakeSherman/status/1609678414151139330
If true, someone set up a lettuce and a livestream, because McCarthy will last about as long as Liz Truss.

McCarthy will do anything just to have his Wikipedia page say "Speaker". But that will be the most significant part of his reign, a useless title.

That’s another Truss parallel - it’s been widely reported in the press here that, as she was writing her resignation speech, an aide tried to console her, but was brushed off, and told “at least I got to be Prime Minister.”

These people, they’ll sell the economy down the river, and tank one institution after another, just for their chance at a footnote in history, even if as a punchline.

[kyc0705]

If you need something to keep you going, remember this: no matter how bad you feel right now, Kevin McCarthy almost certainly feels worse.

[The Mikado]

The hilarious thing is that Andy Biggs is basically effectively a Democratic Party agent at this point and he MUST know that that's what he functionally is. The Freedom Caucus can't do anything but rebel against leadership. It's in their nature. It's what they DO. Even if it goes against their interests.

https://twitter.com/RepAndyBiggsAZ/status/1610080104717099008

Just reposting this for no particular reason.

[The Mikado]

Well, boys and girls and others, we're almost there. January 3rd is right around the corner.

I'm putting my money down on "McCarthy chokes and Scalise gets the job." How are you all expecting this to turn out?

People are gonna be saying "No one expected this!" so much tomorrow.

[wbrocks67]

I'm not getting my hopes up for anything but this sounds like it could get really messy lmao.

[politicallefty]

Honestly, I would be surpisred if McCarthy wins on the first ballot because a bunch of Democrats just don't attend. You only need a majority of those present. Pelosi won with 216 votes.

If Democrats were smart, they would all attend and help elect a moderate republican. That would be much better for the country instead of having MTG controlled McCarthy.

Pelosi always made it look easy. Even if everyone had voted, the House had two vacancies at the time, so the threshold if everyone voted was 217. I'm sure they didn't want to have to wheel in a dying Alcee Hastings. If you compare the vote from 2019 to 2021, you'd first note that she pulled a few of her detractors into the fold. Mikie Sherrill and Abigail Spanberger went from supporting someone else to voting Present. That suggests a certain strategy on their part as well, though who knows what went on behind scenes.

I expect McCarthy to fail. How many ballots this takes or where we go from there is anyone's guess. If they want Democrats to compromise and go for a "moderate" Republican, Democrats need to get something good out of the deal.

I'm just reporting what is being pursued here. But hey, the beauty of a Speaker election is that you only need 218. The Freedom Caucus and the Progressive Caucus can each rage in their respective corners. Still leaves 291 members (accounting for the vacancy in VA-04) to come together behind a consensus choice.

Comparing the Freedom Caucus to the Progressive Caucus is absurd. One wants only to burn things down and cause chaos at every turn. The other actually wants to get things down.

[wbrocks67]

Oh this could get interesting then...

https://twitter.com/Olivia_Beavers/status/1610295101015887873

[Virginiá]

[Comrade Funk]

Good to know we have very competent adults running things

[Ferguson97]

I still think McCarthy eeks it out after like the 5th ballot, but it would be objectively hilarious if he ended up not getting it.

[AelroseB]

100 votes in, and four were for Biggs, three for others.  2nd ballot here we come!

[100% pro-life no matter what]

Kind of surprised my new rep, Andy Ogles, voted against McCarthy.  I hadn't seen his name mentioned much as a potential anti-McCarthy vote.  I wonder if Scalise would get closer to 218.

[2016]

McCarthy needs to do the right thing and bow out of the Speakership Race!

[MyRescueKittehRocks]

McCarthy needs to do the right thing and bow out of the Speakership Race!

And put his support behind Jordan.

[2016]

McCarthy needs to do the right thing and bow out of the Speakership Race!

And put his support behind Jordan.

McCarthy knew that the GOP Conference would never elect him as Speaker. He tried in 2015 after Boehner was forced out and the Conference ultimativly settled on Paul Ryan. That should have been a "Warning Sign" for McCarthy.

McCarthy will never be Speaker!

[Mr. Matt]

McCarthy needs to do the right thing and bow out of the Speakership Race!

And put his support behind Jordan.

If only so then you can say "'The Speaker of the House who had a sexual abuse scandal with young wrestlers' (other guy) 'Which one?'"

[Ragnaroni]

It looks bad for McCarthy, what's the predictions?

[2016]

@Ragnaroni,
The House will have no Speaker. That's my guess!

The 19 Republicans could also threaten to vote for Jeffries to force McCarthy out of the Leadership Race.

[wbrocks67]

The way that some people think it's always up to Dems to save the GOP from themselves. Mind boggling.

https://twitter.com/speechboy71/status/1610379204448722948

[wbrocks67]

At this point, it's just dumb that once you get to a certain point you just have whoever has the plurality become the speaker. This is embarrassing for the GOP and for McCarthy.

Sad that we were only 5 districts away from Jeffries getting a clean speakership vote.