Posted on 10/11/2023 9:00:03 AM PDT by Signalman
While war in Ukraine rages on and Israel continues its war against Hamas, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) are competing for the speakership on Wednesday in a high stakes election before the House GOP conference following the House vote to remove of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).
The closed-door meeting where the secret ballot election will take place is now underway on Capitol Hill.
Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, and Scalise made their pitches and took questions at a candidate forum on Tuesday evening, which multiple GOP lawmakers said didn't yield a clear frontrunner.
Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL) addressed reporters outside of the GOP speaker vote meeting on Wednesday and declined to say who she’s supporting.
“The candidate knows, but at this point in time, no candidate the majority or the requisite number of votes in order to advance,” she said. “So, we have a very long day ahead. I would say, eat your wheaties."
Votes in the House are paused until a speaker is formally elected by a House floor vote. House GOP members have called on Congress to pass legislation to assist Israel in their response to the terror attack carried out by Hamas, which has claimed the lives of more than 1,000 Israelis and 14 Americans. More Ukraine war funding will also be debated in the context of the next spending bill that Congress must pass before the Nov. 17 deadline to avoid a government shutdown.
Jordan told House members on Tuesday that another continuing resolution (CR) would have to be put on the floor for a vote to keep the government funded to give lawmakers enough time to pass a larger-scale appropriations bill. Prior to his removal in an unprecedented vote last week, McCarthy put a 45-day CR on the floor that received votes from Democrats to the ire of the conservative wing of his conference.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who sponsored the motion to vacate the chair, and other conservatives argued that the GOP-led House should not be governing by passing CRs. Gaetz advocated for the House passing 12 "single subject" spending bills to fund each cabinet agency separately as a way to curb federal spending. Under McCarthy's speakership, the House passed 4 of the 12 appropriations bills prior to his ousting over moving ahead with the 45-day CR.
After the forum, Gaetz said on Tuesday that both candidates would be an "upgrade" from McCarthy.
According to Gaetz, Jordan said at the forum that he would support passing a temporary spending bill with "automatic cuts" to current spending levels to buy more time for the passage of more individual spending bills. Other members said Jordan pitched a 1% reduction in spending under the CR.
Gaetz said he is undecided on who he is supported but said he would pray about it.
Scalise reportedly also committed to passing individual appropriations bills at the forum. He didn't endorse the passage of another CR when addressing the press after the meeting. However, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) told reporters that Scalise did float the need for another CR at the forum, according to a report.
Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) was one of the 8 Republicans who voted along with all Democrats to remove McCarthy last week. Buck said he was "not thrilled with either candidate" following the forum.
"I don't know that they are the only candidates who are going to arise. I think that we will have other candidates that step forward if this becomes a mess tomorrow,” he said. “I think at three or four in the afternoon, if you don't see white smoke, we've got a mess.”
Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Fla) said after the meeting that "no one is close" to the simple majority of 218 needed to win the speakership. Greene said the same following the forum, according to reports.
Rep. Mike Garcia (R-Calif.) told reporters he's not sure that there's going to be a speaker nominee on Wednesday.
"I think it's 50-50 odds right now," he said.
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), who voted for the removal of McCarthy, endorsed Jordan after the forum while wearing a shirt with an A on it.
"I'm wearing the scarlet letter after the week I just had last week being a woman up here being demonized for my vote, my voice," she said.
On Monday, McCarthy responded to House members who want him to remain speaker, saying he would do whatever the GOP conference decides. He confirmed on Tuesday that he asked members not to formally nominate him for the position ahead of Wednesday's election.
Prior to the election for speaker, the House GOP conference is expected to vote on a rule change that would increase the threshold needed to win the speaker nomination to a simple majority. The change would likely avoid the speaker vote on the floor from going multiple rounds.
It is unclear at this time when the House floor vote for speaker will take place.
I prefer Jordan, other than his disgusting support for McCarthy.
Hmmmm... if they passed CRs with actual reductions in spending mandated and enforced, I might be less opposed to them. But I suspect it would be more Washington Kabuki theater in which we learn going from $100 to $110 is a 10% reduction because the previous long-term budget plan was to increase to $125
Boehner, Ryan, McCarthy...Scalise?
It’s like a sequel to a bad horror movie.
May the best man win
The choice is clear, Jordon. I don’t like his chances though. I think we end up with Kevin the Cuck
even Chip Roy would be better.
What do you want to bet that the majority of the GOP conference who voted against ousting their own Speaker of the House will deny either Jordan or Scalice a majority. Then what will the populist gang of eight do? They know one of their own cannot get a GOP majority behind them.
This is a tale of starting war with no war plans and no overwhelming means to succeed at.
The populists cannot build a coaltion much less a party.
Trump endorsed Jordan, sooo.
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