# House Speaker Contest **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 12, 2022, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770 "2022-11-12T00:48:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 39
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/761 "2023-01-04T19:42:22Z")
> Those poor family members who traveled to DC to attend their loved ones’ swearing in ceremonies… another day wasted. Good thing then that they’re flying on Southwest. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/762 "2023-01-04T19:42:39Z")
i would hang out at the library of congress, text me when there is a speaker. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/763 "2023-01-04T19:44:26Z")
I just spotted Scalise in conversation with Gaetz and Clyde. Clyde was nodding his head to a lot of what Scalise was saying. No clue if that means anything. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/764 "2023-01-04T19:49:15Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Lol, looks like Trump decided another embarrassing loss was in the cards, and he successfully went for it. [As noted by Ryan Bort in _Rolling Stone_:](https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-endorses-kevin-mccarthy-house-speaker-1234655742/) > The nod feels even more tepid considering it comes the morning after Trump, in an interview with NBC News, declined to say whether he still supported McCarthy. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/765 "2023-01-04T19:54:01Z")
Holy crap, they’re talking about plurality! ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/766 "2023-01-04T19:55:38Z")
How would that work exactly? Wouldn’t that require a change in the rules, which they can’t do because they aren’t in session because of the current impasse? Or do you mean that enough Republicans plan to vote present to flip the vote to Jeffries? ETA: And if so, which ones? Moderates who just want this over with, or the Never Kevin’s who would rather see Jeffries as Speaker than McCarthy? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/767 "2023-01-04T19:58:30Z")
Under the rules, they can change to plurality with a majority vote. Source: Someone else said so in this thread yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/768 "2023-01-04T20:00:17Z")
Ok. That makes sense, but just leads us back to where we started. Which side is blinking? The Never Kevin’s or the McCarthy supporters? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/769 "2023-01-04T20:06:09Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > I just spotted Scalise in conversation with Gaetz and Clyde. Clyde was nodding his head to a lot of what Scalise was saying. No clue if that means anything. Scalise: Watermelon cantaloupe, watermelon cantaloupe. Gaetz: Rhubarb, rhubarb, peas and carrots. Clyde: Rhubarb rhubarb, rhubarb rhubarb. Scalise: _nods knowingly_ Watermelon cantaloupe. Clyde: _nods_ Rhubarb. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/770 "2023-01-04T20:08:23Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > He can promise no laptop investigation but then start one anyway. As far as I am concerned, they can investigate Hunter and his laptop all they want. Let them. Who cares? It is the Impeachment votes that will annoy me. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/771 "2023-01-04T20:08:24Z")
Huh? Wouldn’t plurality give it to Jeffries? Or do they assume that gets enough to go to McCarthey to get to 213v ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/772 "2023-01-04T20:09:02Z")
As a hypothetical, how would the House run with a Speaker Jeffries? Would Democrats get to chair the committees? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/773 "2023-01-04T20:09:05Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > Under the rules, they can change to plurality with a majority vote. > > Source: Someone else said so in this thread yesterday. The question is, would Democrats vote for this maneuver? PRO: This would dramatically increase Jeffries’s chances of becoming speaker, which, holy crap that would be weird. CON: Republicans would almost certainly not propose this maneuver unless they had the votes to prevent Jeffries from winning; and if they can prevent Jeffries from winning with this vote, why should Democrats lift a finger to help McCarthy? Without Democrats voting in favor of the change, the nutjobs could trivially block it. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/774 "2023-01-04T20:09:43Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > > [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > > > I just spotted Scalise in conversation with Gaetz and Clyde. Clyde was nodding his head to a lot of what Scalise was saying. No clue if that means anything. > > Scalise: Watermelon cantaloupe, watermelon cantaloupe… Yeah. You’ll know when they are saying anything of substance when they hold a notepad between them and the cameras. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/775 "2023-01-04T20:14:42Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > You’ll know when they are saying anything of substance when they hold a notepad between them and the cameras …and for something really big they’ll head to the cloakrooms or the Speaker’s lobby. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/776 "2023-01-04T20:17:07Z")
I wonder if this comes down to McCarthey’s personality? If he’s genuinely unlikable and difficult than the other members may not want to deal with his baggage. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/777 "2023-01-04T20:17:28Z")
Going to a sixth vote. . . ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/778 "2023-01-04T20:18:19Z")
here is what happened with boehner and ryan. beohner got 216 votes out of 408 cast. some members did not get to dc due to weather and about a dozen dems were at mario coumo’s funeral. 25 republicans voted for other people. ryan got 236 votes, 9 republicans voted against. mccarthy has no path at this point. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/779 "2023-01-04T20:19:29Z")
Cammack of FL nominates McCarthy. She has a prepared speech that she clearly had in anticipation of a 6th vote. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/780 "2023-01-04T20:20:17Z")
from what i understand he is a likable guy, but untrustworthy. he doesn’t stand for anything and has given up more pieces of his soul than voldemort. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770.md?page=38) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770.md?page=40)