FILE PHOTO: Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) questions U.S. Attorney General William Barr during a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill, in Washington, U.S., July 28, 2020. Chip Somodevilla/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo
On January 3, 2022, the U.S. House of Representatives did not elect a speaker, after three rounds of votes. This was the first time a speaker was not elected on the first round of votes in 100 years, as Republican Kevin McCarthy could not get enough votes to become the next House Speaker.
During a C-Span interview Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries [NY] – who was unanimously elected to lead Democrats – was asked if Democrats would be willing to compromise or vote with centrist Republicans to elect Kevin McCarthy as the new House Speaker. “We are looking for a willing partner to solve problems for the American people – not save the Republicans from their disfunction,” answered Minority Leader Jeffries.
If my name ain’t Bennett I ain’t in it was a person, then it would be Minority Leader Jeffries. But do you blame him for taking that stance on behalf of Democrats? When was the last time Republicans bailed out Democrats when they held control of either chamber.
I’ll wait.
Even as the gavel is scheduled to sound at noon ET, Republican Kevin McCarthy still does not have the votes. So far, the twenty defectors, many being a part of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus, have joined together to vote for Republican Jim Jordyn [OH], an archconservative, for House Speaker. Either person vying for the Speaker spot would need 218 votes to win the seat.
More on this story as the House speakership vote heads to a fourth ballot.
