House Democrats select nominee for Speaker while GOP listens to candidates.
House Democrats Nominate Hakeem Jeffries for Speaker as Republicans Hold Forum
House Democrats made their choice for speaker on Tuesday, nominating Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), while Republicans held a forum to consider their candidates.
The Democratic Party leaders announced that Jeffries was unanimously renominated, a decision that echoes their previous selection in January when Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) ultimately became speaker after a series of contentious rounds of voting.
In a statement, Jeffries expressed gratitude to his colleagues in the House Democratic Caucus and called on “traditional Republicans” to break away from “MAGA extremism” and form an “enlightened, bipartisan coalition.”
House Democrats tonight renominated Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries for Speaker: “I am grateful to my colleagues in the House Democratic Caucus for their extraordinary support and the unanimity of purpose as we continue to put people over politics.” pic.twitter.com/9HBh6wVfyB
— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) October 10, 2023
Meanwhile, Republicans, who hold a slim majority in the House, conducted a forum to hear from their candidates for speaker. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) are currently competing for the GOP nomination. McCarthy, however, urged his supporters not to nominate him.
A Republican internal election for speaker is scheduled for Wednesday morning, but it remains uncertain whether Jordan or Scalise will garner enough support to secure their party’s nomination. Ultimately, a simple majority will be required to win the speaker’s gavel in a chamber-wide vote.
After attending the GOP forum, Rep. Mike Garcia (R-CA) stated that there were “50/50 odds” of selecting a speaker on Wednesday, according to CNN. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) was less optimistic, putting the chances at “2%” that Republicans would reach a consensus by Wednesday, per NBC News.
Recently, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) triggered a no-confidence vote in McCarthy, resulting in his removal from the role of speaker. Gaetz, along with seven fellow Republicans and the Democrats, successfully ousted McCarthy.
The unprecedented events have sparked a debate about whether to modify or eliminate the “motion to vacate” rule that led to McCarthy’s removal, as well as to revise the GOP conference rules governing the nomination threshold.
Despite the uncertainty on the GOP side regarding a unified candidate, there is a sense of urgency as Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC), serving as speaker pro tempore in the interim, has limited authority in the role.
One pressing issue is government spending, with a potential government shutdown in mid-November if lawmakers fail to reach an agreement after a six-week continuing resolution expires.
Additionally, there is the matter of Israel’s conflict with Hamas following the militant group’s recent deadly attack from Gaza. House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX) anticipates that a bipartisan resolution expressing support for Israel will be one of the first items considered on the floor once a new speaker is elected.
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Why did Kevin McCarthy urge his supporters not to nominate him for Speaker?
House Democrats have unanimously renominated Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) for Speaker, while House Republicans conducted a forum to consider their own candidates. This decision echoes the party’s previous selection in January when Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) ultimately became speaker after contentious rounds of voting.
In a statement, Jeffries expressed gratitude to his colleagues and called on “traditional Republicans” to break away from “MAGA extremism” and form an “enlightened, bipartisan coalition.”
Meanwhile, Republicans, who hold a slim majority in the House, conducted a forum to hear from their candidates for speaker. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) are currently competing for the GOP nomination. McCarthy, however, urged his supporters not to nominate him.
A Republican internal election for speaker is scheduled for Wednesday morning, but it remains uncertain whether Jordan or Scalise will garner enough support to secure their party’s nomination. A simple majority will be required to win the speaker’s gavel in a chamber-wide vote.
After attending the GOP forum, Rep. Mike Garcia (R-CA) stated that there were “50/50 odds” of selecting a speaker on Wednesday, according to CNN. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) was less optimistic, putting the chances at “2%” that Republicans would reach a consensus by Wednesday, according to NBC News.
The selection of a speaker is an important decision for both parties, as it sets the agenda and tone for the House of Representatives. The outcome of the Republican internal election will determine who will go head-to-head with Jeffries in the final vote.
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