The Messy Speakership Battle to Come

Mystery candidates, McCarthy’s math, and how a compromise might emerge.

By and
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House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy makes calls to Republican House members asking for support of his bid to be the next speaker of the House. (Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Lawmakers are gearing up for a pitched battle in January over the House speakership and control of the chamber’s agenda. 

Different factions are contemplating outside-the-box nominees, and embattled GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy is trying to minimize dissent among Republicans.

“I’ll take the speaker’s fight to the floor,” McCarthy told reporters this week, adding that he will not drop out of the race and is willing to go through as many ballots as necessary. “At the end of the day, we’ll get there.”

But some moderate Republicans say they are talking with Democrats about what may happen if McCarthy can’t reach the threshold needed to win the speaker’s gavel. The speaker largely determines which legislation comes to the floor—it appears an unlikely outcome, but if a centrist coalition were to send a speaker to power, the chamber may take a more middle-of-the-road approach to bills. 

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Comments (39)
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  1. Avatar photo
    Derek M

    Just cleaning out my email inbox and I saw this. It's great to look at this in hindsight--about a month before the fight happened. Again, this is another reason why I subscribe to The Dispatch. Great work Haley and Audrey!

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    Barry Alexander

    Seeing the reaction of the "Freedom" Caucus to the election of Speaker Cheney, as a result of their grandstanding, would be a definite high point for "2023 in politics."

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    OJFL

    So McCarthy prostrated himself, kissed the ring, took the knee, bowed down, and it may have been all for nothing? Mr. Goldberg will probably have his wish to see McCarthy fail to become Speaker, but one has to wonder if Republicans are indeed that bad at politics. But that may be a good thing for voters to see and understand the performative types are not really interested in governing, or moving politics in a more conservative direction.

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    Lbrtylvr

    Please, please, please let McCarthy fail once again when he thought the Speakership was finally his! He deserves personal failure so very much.

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  5. D

    Seems like one of those things where I'll be excited for McCarthy to get backstabbed after being a Trump lackey for so many years only to be disappointed when he comes out the victor.

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    Victor Clairmont

    Let them fight.

    #GodzillaGif

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    Murrayprof

    Cole is not a freak. He seems very reasonable. Which means he's doomed...

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  8. CB76

    What an absolute cluster. I love it.

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  9. DTruitt

    It is certainly possible for there to be some drama aside from whatever the media intentionally creates ... but it seems most unlikely that any of the five reps who have "threatened to not vote for McCarthy" have any intention of either putting a Democrat or a more centrist Republican in the speaker's chair ... that is, unless they are OK with forever torching their credentials as Republicans, and likely getting primaried at the very least.

    Whenever anyone "threatens to not vote" a certain way, they are simply signaling that their vote can be bought but not given away for free. They want something in return, such as a committee chairmanship, or a guaranteed vote on a piece of legislation they're championing, or an earmark for a boondoggle project in their district, or a favor done for one of the special interests that is funding their reelection campaign and fancy vacations and such.

    Anyone remember all of the principled opposition to ObamaCare that somehow got resolved with all those sleazy Democrat back room deals in 2010? The "Cornhusker Kickback" ... the "Louisiana Purchase" ... "Gator Aid". I certainly do.

    That's the game of politics.

    But by even simply trying to drive a hard bargain they are making no friends with leadership, and there will be payback, guaranteed. Hey, it's politics, and they play hardball in politics. So most likely these five reluctant McCarthy voters were already on McCarthy's shit list and thus they perceive that they have nothing to lose as long as they don't go beyond the pale to let the opposition party call the shots.

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  10. Avatar photo
    Earl King

    With no Alternative there will be consensus. If the FC puts up somebody controversial meaning someone not Jesus. There will be a messy fight till somebody gives in or the moderates can get Democrat votes and a promise to allow bills to the floor.

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