What’s Happening:
Politicians don’t always play nice together, but when they do they tend to get more accomplished. Republicans have been in-fighting for almost three weeks after the ouster of the former Speaker of the House.
Multiple candidates have won favor among the GOP in the U.S. House and then quickly fallen from the graces of their fellow party members. This has Republicans, the majority party in the House, clamoring to vote in a speaker and get back to business. The chaos has disrupted congressional proceedings with huge issues, including the budget, looming next month.
One Republican believes he has found a way for the party to play nice and get a speaker elected. His idea is for a “unity pledge” and depends on fellow GOP members setting aside their differences for the common good.
From The Daily Wire:
The pledge states that a member will “support the Speaker Designate duly elected by the House Republican Conference — regardless of who that candidate is — when their election proceeds to the House floor” and continue to vote for the candidate as long as the individual remains the nominee.
Rep. Mike Flood (R-NE) proposed the idea after the GOP’s first two nominees — House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) – failed to get the votes to secure the speaker’s gavel. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was voted out of the role almost three weeks ago.
While Republicans have been fighting each other, Democrats have unified behind their nominee, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY). The GOP needs to unite and regain leadership control in the House.
At this point there are nine Republicans who have tossed their hat into the ring to get the speaker’s gavel. Most, if not all, of the candidates have agreed to sign the pledge, while others applauded the idea.
GOP candidates include House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (MN) and Reps. Jack Bergman (MI), Byron Donalds (FL), Kevin Hern (OK), Mike Johnson (LA), Dan Meuser (PA), Gary Palmer (AL), Austin Scott (GA), and Pete Sessions (TX).
Flood is rallying support for GOP members to join him in signing the pledge “so we can move forward with electing a speaker and get on with the people’s business.” Such a pledge would require rebellious GOP members, who have tanked the first two nominees, to set aside their differences to support a candidate. So far, any efforts to get this small group of Republicans to help secure a speaker has failed.
The push for a unity pledge met quick criticism on social media with Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) posting a message of caution on X.
“The average American Republican does not, justifiably, trust the majority of the GOP simply for the sake of it – without verification it will do what it said it will do… which it rarely has done,” Roy said.
Republicans better get to a point where they trust each other soon because at this point they are further eroding the trust of the American people. Republicans need to elect a speaker soon so the House can get its act together.
Key Takeaways:
- Republican tries to rally fellow House members to support one candidate.
- The “unity pledge” is a call for GOP members to band together soon.
- The idea may work in theory, but doubt runs deep among Republicans.
Source: The Daily Wire
