Will Kevin McCarthy become Speaker?

[dada_dave]

As it is you already heard Nancy Pelosi get up and say they just want Republicans to get it done so we can all get to work. So far she's been the only adult in the room.

With all due respect, she’s wrong unless the Democrats get concessions from the Republicans for doing so.

 

[Herdfan]

As it is you already heard Nancy Pelosi get up and say they just want Republicans to get it done so we can all get to work. So far she's been the only adult in the room.

But at some point you would think McCarthy would be the adult in the room and realize he is not going to get the votes and drop out.

 

[dada_dave]

But at some point you would think McCarthy would be the adult in the room and realize he is not going to get the votes and drop out.

But then who is it? Jordan? Does he have the votes? Or are we just doomed to repeating this ad nauseam?

 

[GermanSuplex]

McCarthy is going to lose more votes this round. Sorry Kevin, maybe next time. 34 votes cast, he can only lose 4 and he's already lost 3.

*37 votes and he's lost 4.

400 votes left and he can lose none.

 

[Herdfan]

Hmmm I’m not sure I agree. While I’ll admit that the partisan in me is enjoying the schadenfreude of “republicans in disarray”, overall I view this a continuing sign of the degeneration of the Republican Party and American politics. The reason this is happening is a lack of leadership that doesn’t come from the extremes and rather than a healthy desire to hold a party/government leader accountable.

Exactly. I think is good for the GOP to get rid of some entrenched members out of leadership. Too often on both sides it becomes an exercise of "Well it's their turn". Killed the GOP in 2 Presidential elections with Bob Dole and John McCain.

Let them fight this out for a week if need be. They can make up any work time lost by not taking a month off this summer.

 

[Herdfan]

But then who is it? Jordan? Does he have the votes? Or are we just doomed to repeating this ad nauseam?

He would be my pick. Does he have the votes? I have no idea, so we shall see.

 

[GermanSuplex]

McCarthy is losing votes in the third round. That's the opposite direction McCarthy wants to be going in.

 

[shadow puppet]

"McCarthy LOSES at least one vote on the third ballot as Rep. Byron Donalds deflects to Jordan"

Oh how I want to see McCarthy lose a 4th round.

 

[dada_dave]

Exactly. I think is good for the GOP to get rid of some entrenched members out of leadership. Too often on both sides it becomes an exercise of "Well it's their turn". Killed the GOP in 2 Presidential elections with Bob Dole and John McCain.

Let them fight this out for a week if need be. They can make up any work time lost by not taking a month off this summer.

I think you’re being optimistic about a week if there’s no viable replacements. And then there’s “meet the new leadership, just as bad as the old one” syndrome. When the extremes drive the chaos, leadership quality tends to go down, not up. Parties begin to self destruct and while I think overall that the Republicans probably should, that would only be healthy if a pro democracy Conservative Party was capable of filling the void. There isn’t one and unlikely to be one in short enough order.

 

[lizkat]

As it is you already heard Nancy Pelosi get up and say they just want Republicans to get it done so we can all get to work. So far she's been the only adult in the room.

Catie Edmondson, from the NYT's running commentary:

"Chip Roy’s nominating speech underscores that for a certain group of lawmakers, the issue isn’t McCarthy himself. They are trying to change how the House does business in a fundamental way that would weaken Republican leaders’ ability to push through bills required to govern."​

Yeah see there are members of that caucus on the far right who simply don't want federal government to govern, period. So they believe they literally have nothing to lose by standing in the way of McCarthy getting the votes for Speaker and moving on to regular order of business. Everything they worked for in the pre-voting negotiations was meant to weaken the Speaker's ability to run their own party's conference.

 

[Eric]

But at some point you would think McCarthy would be the adult in the room and realize he is not going to get the votes and drop out.

Fair enough.

 

[dada_dave]

Btw @Herdfan don’t get me wrong. You are right that McCarthy being elected speaker would merely delay the chaos as he’s too weak and vacillating to provide effective leadership and him being “next in line” isn’t a good enough reason given his weakness. It’s just that I don’t view any of this as positive as I don’t see the Republicans improving from this position.

I don’t see any adults in the room - including Jordan. I’ll refrain from making the obvious joke about Jordan and adults in the room but what concerns me is that everything gets worse from here not better. If this was coming from a rejection of Trumpist wing and a desire to hold leadership accountable for their lack of spine in standing up to it, that would be one thing. But it’s being driven by that wing. Maybe by overplaying their hand it'll turn out okay, but it’s still not a good sign.

 

[Macky-Mac]

He would be my pick. Does he have the votes? I have no idea, so we shall see.

if McCarthy drops out, I'd guess he'd get the votes. He's been a strong supporter of McCarthy and the anti-McCarthy block is already voting for him.

It'll be interesting to see what McCarthy does

 

[lizkat]

But at some point you would think McCarthy would be the adult in the room and realize he is not going to get the votes and drop out.

Why would he do that. He's not the one making an ass of himself here. It's clear the majority of the conference want to get on with it and will accept McCarthy... and kick the can down the road awhile before deciding whether to challenge him.

Democracy is about compromise. No one gets everything they want. McCarthy already accommodated a bunch of requests from the hard right, and drew a line when those became insupportable demands.

The hardliners did get concessions about what it would take to force a vote of no confidence, but even if five of them did that almost immediately, there's no way in hell they'd get that vote passed right off the bat. So... they need to settle for having embarrassed McCarthy and meanwhile showing themselves capable of making life hard for McCarthy when the debt limit next comes onto the table.

The longer they hold out, the more likely it is that McCarthy will throw caution to the winds and deny some committee assignments once he does get the gavel. There's a difference between not wanting government to govern and putting oneself into an untenable position before the next election. If constituents are so hot to have representatives actually working for them, the congressmen on the hard right aren't doing themselves a favor by weakening their own ability to contribute to governance. MTG was at least smart enough to see that much. She can sit on some committee like Education and raise holy hell, making a circus while still being in the mix on legislation. The morons like Boebert and Gaetz, not so much.

 

[rdrr]

Well there you go, McCarthy lost at least another vote. Jordan with 20... Still more to count.

 

[Herdfan]

I think you’re being optimistic about a week if there’s no viable replacements. And then there’s “meet the new leadership, just as bad as the old one” syndrome. When the extremes drive the chaos, leadership quality tends to go down, not up. Parties begin to self destruct and while I think overall that the Republicans probably should, that would only be healthy if a pro democracy Conservative Party was capable of filling the void. There isn’t one and unlikely to be one in short enough order.

Maybe it needs to be blown up. Whatever they are doing is not working.

 

[lizkat]

Maybe it needs to be blown up. Whatever they are doing is not working.

Not working for whom? This is still a democracy. The hard right got some concessions, that's their prize. Now it's time to settle for that before they damage their own standing back home.

 

[Herdfan]

Why would he do that. He's not the one making an ass of himself here. It's clear the majority of the conference want to get on with it and will accept McCarthy...

Do they really want him or do they just want it over with? Are they voting for him out of fear? Or do they actually think he would be the best for the job. The GOP has not had a good Speaker since Newt. No more RINO's.

 

[Herdfan]

Not working for whom? This is still a democracy. The hard right got some concessions, that's their prize. Now it's time to settle for that before they damage their own standing back home.

Not a single one opposing him is damaging themselves back home. In fact, they may be increasing their appeal.

 

[lizkat]

Do they really want him or do they just want it over with? Are they voting for him out of fear? Or do they actually think he would be the best for the job. The GOP has not had a good Speaker since Newt. No more RINO's.

The problem with the right is they don't want a negotiator and yet negotiation across the aisle is necessary in a polarized electorate situation. So do those on the right just want to obstruct, or do they want to get stuff done for Americans. Americans include, duh... the fricken majority who elected Biden in 2020 and the majority who kept the Senate blue in 2020.