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Posted On: 10/13/2023 2:49:19 PM
Post# of 126854
It took years.....
Fear and loathing grips the House GOP
Politico
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/13/repu...n-00121370
The House GOP has entered an angrier and more bewildered phase in its leadership crisis.
The fractious Republican conference has rejected a second speaker hopeful in eight days — this time, Kevin McCarthy’s longtime heir apparent, Steve Scalise. While Republicans appear to be turning next to Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), some are already airing open doubts that Jordan can pull off what the majority leader couldn’t.
The lesson Republicans have learned in the frenetic week since McCarthy’s fall: They have no clear choice for leader who can unite their ranks — no matter how long this drags out and their chamber of Congress is paralyzed.
It’s not just GOP centrists sparring with the hard right. It’s not just McCarthy loyalists secretly fuming at Scalise or his allies. There’s mounting anger across the entire conference that no GOP speaker candidate, including Jordan, appears able to prevail under the current margins.
Some centrists say they plan to oppose Jordan on a first ballot out of frustration with his core base in the Freedom Caucus, whose members first undercut McCarthy before taking down Scalise. In both cases, they went against the majority of the conference. And these Republicans do not want to reward them.
Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) signaled on Thursday night that he’s not yet sold on backing Jordan, saying he wants to “chew” on it, but warned against rewarding the Ohio Republican’s backers who refused to support Scalise.
“What bothers some of us is that we had some members who said they would only vote for him. They wouldn’t support the guy who won,” he said.
Other vulnerable members in tough Biden districts who have signaled discontent with the right flank of the conference are also viewed as potential “no” votes for Jordan. One prominent voice in that camp, Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), declined to say on Thursday night if he would vote for the Ohio Republican.
But Jordan may not be the only contender to choose from by the time House Republicans vote again. Several, including those who have opposed the Ohio Republican from the start, have been floating alternatives. Centrists, in particular, noted that the idea of Acting Speaker Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) as a consensus candidate is picking up steam.
McHenry has insisted in recent days that he wasn’t considering the top post. But speaking to reporters on Thursday night, he didn’t rule it out.
Others are curious if another member of leadership like Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), who was running for majority leader before Scalise decided to abandon the speaker’s race, will step up to challenge Jordan. Other members of leadership, like Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y), are also mum on what position they might seek.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), who had refused to back Scalise, floated Jordan, Hern and House Homeland Security Chair Mark Green (R-Tenn.) as possible picks, as well as a former member, Lee Zeldin.
Hern, however, said it’s Jordan’s turn to try to win over 217 votes — for now.
“We should give him an opportunity,” Hern said. “Let’s give him a chance and see if he can get 217.”
Fear and loathing grips the House GOP
Politico
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/13/repu...n-00121370
The House GOP has entered an angrier and more bewildered phase in its leadership crisis.
The fractious Republican conference has rejected a second speaker hopeful in eight days — this time, Kevin McCarthy’s longtime heir apparent, Steve Scalise. While Republicans appear to be turning next to Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), some are already airing open doubts that Jordan can pull off what the majority leader couldn’t.
The lesson Republicans have learned in the frenetic week since McCarthy’s fall: They have no clear choice for leader who can unite their ranks — no matter how long this drags out and their chamber of Congress is paralyzed.
It’s not just GOP centrists sparring with the hard right. It’s not just McCarthy loyalists secretly fuming at Scalise or his allies. There’s mounting anger across the entire conference that no GOP speaker candidate, including Jordan, appears able to prevail under the current margins.
Some centrists say they plan to oppose Jordan on a first ballot out of frustration with his core base in the Freedom Caucus, whose members first undercut McCarthy before taking down Scalise. In both cases, they went against the majority of the conference. And these Republicans do not want to reward them.
Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) signaled on Thursday night that he’s not yet sold on backing Jordan, saying he wants to “chew” on it, but warned against rewarding the Ohio Republican’s backers who refused to support Scalise.
“What bothers some of us is that we had some members who said they would only vote for him. They wouldn’t support the guy who won,” he said.
Other vulnerable members in tough Biden districts who have signaled discontent with the right flank of the conference are also viewed as potential “no” votes for Jordan. One prominent voice in that camp, Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), declined to say on Thursday night if he would vote for the Ohio Republican.
But Jordan may not be the only contender to choose from by the time House Republicans vote again. Several, including those who have opposed the Ohio Republican from the start, have been floating alternatives. Centrists, in particular, noted that the idea of Acting Speaker Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) as a consensus candidate is picking up steam.
McHenry has insisted in recent days that he wasn’t considering the top post. But speaking to reporters on Thursday night, he didn’t rule it out.
Others are curious if another member of leadership like Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), who was running for majority leader before Scalise decided to abandon the speaker’s race, will step up to challenge Jordan. Other members of leadership, like Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y), are also mum on what position they might seek.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), who had refused to back Scalise, floated Jordan, Hern and House Homeland Security Chair Mark Green (R-Tenn.) as possible picks, as well as a former member, Lee Zeldin.
Hern, however, said it’s Jordan’s turn to try to win over 217 votes — for now.
“We should give him an opportunity,” Hern said. “Let’s give him a chance and see if he can get 217.”
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