# Any chance for a Democratic Speaker/House==\>Pres after a 2018 Dem mid-term sweep? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 16, 2017, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-chance-for-a-democratic-speaker-house-pres-after-a-2018-dem-mid-term-sweep/777335 "2017-01-16T20:29:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-chance-for-a-democratic-speaker-house-pres-after-a-2018-dem-mid-term-sweep/777335/21 "2017-01-17T22:36:59Z")
The dems maybe could get the house if Trump fucks up enough. If only 35 million GOP voters turn out, but 45 million dems turn out (assuming a baseline of 40 million on each side) in 2018 then that would sweep the house even with gerrymandering. However I don’t think they’d impeach Pence. Trump maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2017, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-chance-for-a-democratic-speaker-house-pres-after-a-2018-dem-mid-term-sweep/777335/22 "2017-01-17T23:11:44Z")
In 2018, it’s impossible, because there’s no way there’d be enough senators on board to remove Pence from office, especially with a Democrat next in line. Trump to Pence, sure, that’s possible, but that’s just because, first, Trump is a lot more reprehensible, and second, because Pence is still a Republican. And in 2020, it’s moot. It could just maybe possibly become possible to impeach both of them after the 2020 election, but a long time before that would happen, the Democratic candidate for President would win anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-chance-for-a-democratic-speaker-house-pres-after-a-2018-dem-mid-term-sweep/777335/23 "2017-01-18T02:18:48Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Leaving aside the fact that Pence hasn’t done, and doesn’t seem likely to do, anything that would get him impeached, how would simultaneous impeachment even work, logistically? One of them would surely have to leave office first, at which point the other one would be the president, and would be able to nominate a new VP. > > I could maaaybe see a Democratic Speaker becoming president if Trump is impeached and convicted / forced to resign, and then Pence suddenly dies before he can confirm his VP pick, but not otherwise. He can nominate a VP, but his choice has to be confirmed by both the House and the Senate. If Congress wants the Speaker to take over, they simply don’t confirm the nominee. They can decline to hold hearings (as with Obama’s Supreme Court nominee), stretch out the process indefinitely, or simply vote the nominee down. Easy peasy. That is, if their goal is to make the Speaker the President. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-chance-for-a-democratic-speaker-house-pres-after-a-2018-dem-mid-term-sweep/777335/24 "2017-01-18T08:03:25Z")
“Can” is not “will,” but you asked “can” so yes. Also? Yeah, if we organize on the principle that we’ll try to do it, it _will_ happen. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-chance-for-a-democratic-speaker-house-pres-after-a-2018-dem-mid-term-sweep/777335/25 "2017-01-18T14:42:26Z")
> [@Alley\_Dweller](#): > > He can nominate a VP, but his choice has to be confirmed by both the House and the Senate. If Congress wants the Speaker to take over, they simply don’t confirm the nominee. They can decline to hold hearings (as with Obama’s Supreme Court nominee), stretch out the process indefinitely, or simply vote the nominee down. Easy peasy. That is, if their goal is to make the Speaker the President. And it also risks having the House flip back to Republican control in the next election. The GOP got very lucky with their SCOTUS nominee strategy. Very lucky. So I guess the question they have to ask themselves is: Do you feel lucky? DO YOU?? ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2017, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-chance-for-a-democratic-speaker-house-pres-after-a-2018-dem-mid-term-sweep/777335/26 "2017-01-18T22:04:29Z")
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