Republicans Worry About Their Future in the House as Some Say ‘No’ to Trump as Speaker
Selection of the next speaker could drag on
Just how bleak things are becoming politically is starting to dawn on a growing number of House Republicans after they voted this week to oust Rep Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif) as speaker.
Some are even looking askance at the potential for Donald Trump to serve as McCarthy's replacement.
Instigated by Rep Matt Gaetz (R-Fla), eight right-wing Republicans joined all House Democrats to remove McCarthy atop the House of Representatives, the first time in US history a speaker was so ousted.
Members of Congress will come back to Washington DC next week to begin the process of selecting a new speaker and move forward.
But Republicans are beginning to see political storm clouds on the horizon.
Alyssa Farah Griffin, who worked for Trump when he was in the White House, doesn't foresee choosing the next speaker to go easily.
“This is the most thankless job and neither Steve Scalise or Jim Jordan would get 200 votes,” she said, referring to two House Republicans who have thrown their hats in the ring for speaker. “I would be stunned in this doesn't go on for weeks and weeks. Steve Scalise has the moderates. Jim Jordan can get down the eight that took McCarthy. Neither can get to 218.
“The biggest bargaining chip is aid to Ukraine. It’s too important. The Gaetz eight don’t want more of it. If I have to make a prediction, this goes to conference next week and nobody has the votes and eventually Scalise and Jordan come to some kind of agreement. Jordan controls the money and Scalise controls the floor,” she added.
Rep Max Miller, an Ohio Republican who also once worked for Trump, isn't keen on his party’s political fortunes.
“I’m going to stand here and tell you about the actions that have taken place this week. I’m not hopeful to keep the majority. I’m not hopeful to win back the Senate,” he said.
Meanwhile, while some House Republicans want to recruit Trump to serve as House speaker in the short-term — and the former president has signalled willingness — others are holding the four-time indicted former president at arm’s length.
“Look, we’ve never had a speaker that’s been elected that is not a member of the House. I think the choice for speaker will be someone who is currently a member of Congress, and I think these discussions should be among the members,” said Rep Mike Lawler, a New York Republican who serves in a district also won by Democratic president, Joe Biden. “We have a lot to deal with in the coming days in choosing a new speaker.”
Selecting Trump as speaker — who is also running for president again — wouldn't add stability to the House now, according to Rep Garret Graves (R-La).
“You know, look, there’s a part of me that just sitting down and buying tickets to watch the chaos would be incredibly entertaining to see what the Democrats just created. But in, I guess, more serious fashion, look, my focus is on restoring functionality and stability,” Graves said. “My guess is, just based upon precedent, that the next speaker of the House is going to be a member of the House of Representatives.
“But as you have seen and I have seen, there are a few members of Congress that have said that they think that he would be a viable speaker,” he added. “But as you know, there has not been an external speaker. I think while the Constitution does provide for it, I think we’re going to have a member of the house that’s speaker of the House.”
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