# 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:** 55
**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 5, 2023, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1081 "2023-01-05T17:50:57Z")
> [@rocking\_chair](#): > > that was gaetz. Maybe he got confused between Donalds and The Donald šŸ¤£. ---
**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 5, 2023, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1082 "2023-01-05T17:51:29Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > Somebody just voted Trump. Clerk chuckles and moves on. ISTM if enough votes started going that way so it seemed like a real possibility that could be the thing to get some of the few sane Republicans to jump across the aisle and vote for Jeffries. šŸ˜‚ ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1083 "2023-01-05T17:51:42Z")
LOL, of course it was. What a joke. And @Saint_Cad, I have no idea why Donalds is who they settled on for now. Honestly the only thing I can think of his state (FL) and his skin color (which seems too petty to consider, but who knows). They certainly donā€™t think he will ever be speaker, so I guess from his perspective itā€™s a decent way to up his name recognition. Had anybody in this thread even heard of him before yesterday? I also think they donā€™t want to blow through all of their possible 20 in case one of them can be the ā€œrealā€ compromise candidate. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1084 "2023-01-05T17:54:12Z")
The voting will continue until morale improves. ---
**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 5, 2023, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1085 "2023-01-05T17:55:35Z")
ah, the still. cause boebart? gaetz? donalds is not known and therefore not controversial, he was not in the original group. i believe he voted mccarthy twice and then on the third round voted jordan. there was an audible on the first round with donalds name. i believe they settled on him during the overnight after the third round. and a bit of i see your nomination and raise you my nomination. ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1086 "2023-01-05T17:56:08Z")
The continuing vote is improving my morale considerably. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1087 "2023-01-05T17:58:15Z")
Really I feel like thatā€™s the only way forward for McCarthy. Just make them keep voting and hope the pressure eventually wears them down. Maybe when staffers stop getting paid and important bills need addressed they will soften up. Just do this over and over for a week or two and it gets harder for the holdouts to explain their plan. Especially when they havenā€™t put up a serious name. The pressure will surely increase on McCarthy as well, but heā€™s done a great job on holding is 200 together so far. ---
**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 5, 2023, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1088 "2023-01-05T17:58:44Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > This Bishop fellow is very preachy. In case folks forget, Bishop is the representative from the district with the worst voter fraud scandal in recent memoryā€“an election so tainted the results had to be thrown out, and the previous Republican candidate had to withdraw in disgrace. > **[Thereā€™s No Such Thing as a Do-Over Election](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/09/north-carolina-ninth-district-fraud-mccready-bishop/597412/)** > > North Carolinaā€™s Dan McCready has been running for Congress for three years. ---
**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 5, 2023, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1089 "2023-01-05T18:02:34Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > This paragraph is so trueā€¦ > > _While itā€™s not impossible to have sympathy for any political leader facing the reactionary extremists of the GOPā€™s far-right bloc, McCarthy made his bed. Throughout his 16 years in Congress, he has worn his political ambitions on his sleeve. He isnā€™t associated with any notable policy objectives, unlike Paul Ryan or Newt Gingrich. In a party that demands orthodoxy, his politics are malleable and transactional. He isnā€™t a leader who projects confidence or ideological consistency but rather a follower of the prevailing political winds._ And it reminds me of this story from Politico a few months ago: [Many Reporters Think Kevin McCarthy is Dumb.](https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/06/03/kevin-mccarthy-washington-media-taboo-intelligence-00036894) ---
**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 5, 2023, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1090 "2023-01-05T18:02:57Z")
So what is the Dem endgame? Hoping the Pubs implode and turn into fighting caucuses rather than one party no matter who wins? Hoping the Pubs will nominate a centrist that they would vote for? Hoping through bad strategy Jefferies becomes Speaker? ---
**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 5, 2023, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1091 "2023-01-05T18:04:39Z")
Something unlikely is going to happen, so at this point itā€™s no longer completely crazy to hope for something unlikely. My personal hope is that the Never Kevinā€™s decide to give McCarthy and the ā€œestablishmentā€ the middle finger by voting for Jeffries. ---
**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 5, 2023, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1092 "2023-01-05T18:04:44Z")
manu just asked chip roy if he will vote for mccarthy, his answer is that they are in talks. ---
**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 5, 2023, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1093 "2023-01-05T18:05:22Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > So what is the Dem endgame? Wait for the GOP to figure it out and keep looking ridiculous. Itā€™s not their problem. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1094 "2023-01-05T18:10:02Z")
What a strange post. The Democrats arenā€™t even playing, why would they need a ā€œgameā€? ---
**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 5, 2023, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1095 "2023-01-05T18:11:01Z")
I donā€™t have any insight into the minds of Dem leadership, but I suspect they donā€™t necessarily have an ā€œendgame.ā€ Itā€™s sit back, watch the shit show. House Dems came into this year planning on having zero power in this Congress. Now at least, thereā€™s a very real chance theyā€™ll have more than zero. I think theyā€™ll do _absolutely nothing_ until they have a better idea how much more than zero than can get. Even then, they might not do a damn thing, and just let the Pubs continue to burn. After all, Representatives are constantly in campaign mode; theyā€™re absolutely thinking now how they can use a dysfunctional Republican House to their advantage in 2024. I mean, hell, I donā€™t know how it all works, but could the Pubs just go two freaking years with ā€œcontrolā€ of the House and never cobble anything together that allows them to elect a Speaker? What does that look like realistically? At that point, couldnā€™t Biden govern by EO? Let the Senate pass stuff they want and blame the House Republicans for being worthless turds. Let Biden be the hero that passes EOs to keep things rolling. ---
**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 5, 2023, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1096 "2023-01-05T18:11:04Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > The Democrats arenā€™t even playing, why would they need a ā€œgameā€? To end up with some benefit out of all this. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1097 "2023-01-05T18:11:29Z")
As a poster here ( **Johnny\_Bravo**?) said yesterday, the only way to win the game is not to play. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1098 "2023-01-05T18:14:51Z")
I think they have determined there is no way to get any direct benefit out of this (in the form of rules changes or committee seats). Which at this point I agree with. The only ā€œbenefitā€ they get is a weakening of their opposition. I can only see that changing if this drags out long enough that a large group of GOP caucus members publicly state that they are no longer willing to work with the 20 holdouts and want to create a ā€œunity governmentā€ situation with added committee members for Democrats. And I donā€™t think there are enough ā€œsafeā€ GOP members (nor leadership support) for that type of compromise. So popcorn is the only viable plan. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1099 "2023-01-05T18:16:13Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > And I donā€™t think there are enough ā€œsafeā€ GOP members (nor leadership support) for that type of compromise. You donā€™t need to compromise, you just catch that nasty wave of Covid going through DC and donā€™t show up for work. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1100 "2023-01-05T18:16:22Z")
Just popcorn? What about the blankets and the booze? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770.md?page=54) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770.md?page=56)