The vote for House Speaker continues, moving to round three in with Kevin McCarthy’s hapless bid to lead the tiny minority in the new Congress. This is the first time in 100 years that the Speaker was not elected on the first ballot, something that’s only happened 14 times in history.
Stick with us for as long as this goes, and watch all the fun on C-SPAN. We could be here for days.
UPDATE: Tuesday, Jan 3, 2023 · 9:24:47 PM +00:00 · Joan McCarter
If you happened to see Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez trapped on the floor by whackjob Paul Gosar, he was apparently checking with her to see if what McCarthy told some members—that at some point Democrats would leave to help McCarthy out by lowering the vote threshold—was true. Nope, she told him. “We would never do that.”
UPDATE: Tuesday, Jan 3, 2023 · 9:17:56 PM +00:00 · Joan McCarter
So Jordan’s their man, with Chip Roy doing the honors this time and the same people voting for him this time. We’re still in the Bs, and McCarthy’s lost four votes. It’s a stalemate. The third round will end badly for him again. Jeffries will get the most votes, again. As someone said on Twitter, it’s one more election in America where the person with the most votes doesn’t win.
UPDATE: Tuesday, Jan 3, 2023 · 9:07:59 PM +00:00 · Joan McCarter
Aguilar is back up nominating Jeffries, again focus in the unification among Democrats, or if you will, their array.
UPDATE: Tuesday, Jan 3, 2023 · 9:04:01 PM +00:00 · Joan McCarter
Perfect.
UPDATE: Tuesday, Jan 3, 2023 · 9:03:09 PM +00:00 · Joan McCarter
Round three begins. Steve Scalise is the McCarthy nominator for this round.
UPDATE: Tuesday, Jan 3, 2023 · 9:01:03 PM +00:00 · Joan McCarter
For the past two and half years, the House has been operating with proxy voting—they have not all been together and have not all had to be spending time on the floor. So you have to wonder if they have the a) stamina, and b) patience to be willing to spend as long as it takes on this exercise.
UPDATE: Tuesday, Jan 3, 2023 · 8:31:41 PM +00:00 · Joan McCarter
As long as we’re speculating, could a coalition government happen? How many rounds would it take for enough Republicans to join with enough Democrats to find a reasonable alternative? Are there enough reasonable Republicans? I don’t see it happening, but we’re in completely new territory now.
Stick with us for as long as this goes, and watch all the fun on C-SPAN. We could be here for days.
UPDATE: Tuesday, Jan 3, 2023 · 9:24:47 PM +00:00 · Joan McCarter
If you happened to see Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez trapped on the floor by whackjob Paul Gosar, he was apparently checking with her to see if what McCarthy told some members—that at some point Democrats would leave to help McCarthy out by lowering the vote threshold—was true. Nope, she told him. “We would never do that.”
UPDATE: Tuesday, Jan 3, 2023 · 9:17:56 PM +00:00 · Joan McCarter
So Jordan’s their man, with Chip Roy doing the honors this time and the same people voting for him this time. We’re still in the Bs, and McCarthy’s lost four votes. It’s a stalemate. The third round will end badly for him again. Jeffries will get the most votes, again. As someone said on Twitter, it’s one more election in America where the person with the most votes doesn’t win.
UPDATE: Tuesday, Jan 3, 2023 · 9:07:59 PM +00:00 · Joan McCarter
Aguilar is back up nominating Jeffries, again focus in the unification among Democrats, or if you will, their array.
UPDATE: Tuesday, Jan 3, 2023 · 9:04:01 PM +00:00 · Joan McCarter
Perfect.
UPDATE: Tuesday, Jan 3, 2023 · 9:03:09 PM +00:00 · Joan McCarter
Round three begins. Steve Scalise is the McCarthy nominator for this round.
UPDATE: Tuesday, Jan 3, 2023 · 9:01:03 PM +00:00 · Joan McCarter
For the past two and half years, the House has been operating with proxy voting—they have not all been together and have not all had to be spending time on the floor. So you have to wonder if they have the a) stamina, and b) patience to be willing to spend as long as it takes on this exercise.
UPDATE: Tuesday, Jan 3, 2023 · 8:31:41 PM +00:00 · Joan McCarter
As long as we’re speculating, could a coalition government happen? How many rounds would it take for enough Republicans to join with enough Democrats to find a reasonable alternative? Are there enough reasonable Republicans? I don’t see it happening, but we’re in completely new territory now.