# 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:** 82
**Author:** ![MulderMuffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldermuffin/32/2862_2.png) [@MulderMuffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MulderMuffin)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1621 "2023-01-06T18:21:50Z")
Gosar was speaking with Gaetz before he voted and stopped for a moment with him after he voted. Gaetz looked unperturbed, maybe even a little content. Gosar looked murderous. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1622 "2023-01-06T18:23:35Z")
If Nancy Pelosi has to hand the gavel to Kevin, should she wear a helmet? ---
**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 6, 2023, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1623 "2023-01-06T18:24:23Z")
Kev’s up to 214 today, would be 215 if Buck were in. Sooooooo close, Kevy boy, so close! Can you taste it? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1624 "2023-01-06T18:25:12Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > If Nancy Pelosi has to hand the gavel to Kevin, should she wear a helmet? I hope she’s been practicing her “bat flip.” Toss it over her shoulder like she just hit it out of the park. Let Kevin scramble to catch it. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1625 "2023-01-06T18:26:21Z")
I am looking at the numbers and only see 3 missing votes. I thought that more were supposed to be out. And now McCarthy has to negotiate with the hardliners. The question is whether he loses some moderates. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1626 "2023-01-06T18:27:16Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > The question is whether he loses some moderates. Loses them to who? They ain’t gonna vote Jeffries. ---
**Author:** ![MulderMuffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldermuffin/32/2862_2.png) [@MulderMuffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MulderMuffin)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1627 "2023-01-06T18:27:37Z")
It’s easier to be part of a 20 member block of dissenters than a 7 (or less) member block. Now I anticipate the carrots get put away and the sticks come out. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1628 "2023-01-06T18:27:58Z")
What sticks, though? ---
**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 6, 2023, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1629 "2023-01-06T18:28:42Z")
Exactly. These holdouts _ **do not care** _ ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1630 "2023-01-06T18:31:06Z")
One wonders how many of those new McCarthyites will now go “Not good enough - yoink!” in the next round or two. Were I on the moderate end of the Republicans, I’d consider throwing together a cadre of likeminded individuals now and spend the next vote voting for someone else, to keep McCarthy from completely handing the reins to the HMC. 214 for McCarthy, 211 for Jeffries, and 7 for Jordan and Hern combined. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1631 "2023-01-06T18:32:23Z")
IMHO they would care if they do not get the juicy committee appointments. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1632 "2023-01-06T18:34:13Z")
> [@susan](#): > > I imagine some of the McCarthy votes this round are posturing. Who did you have in mind with this? ---
**Author:** ![MulderMuffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldermuffin/32/2862_2.png) [@MulderMuffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MulderMuffin)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1633 "2023-01-06T18:34:19Z")
> [@susan](#): > > What sticks, though? > [@JRDelirious](#): > > Exactly. These holdouts _ **do not care** _ Exactly. They don’t care. McCarthy (astonishingly) needs 3 of the 7 holdouts to move to his side. Give them a blanket threat/promise that the first 3 that flip will be given a nicer office or better committee assignment or more campaign funds, and the rest will be kicked off any committees, moved next to the boiler without a red stapler, and will get no campaign contributions. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1634 "2023-01-06T18:35:29Z")
Since their goal seems to be to destroy the government, I haven’t seen much evidence that they care about assignments. That’s just more work and less grift time. They’re wringing concessions from McCarthy because they’re bullies enjoying playing puppetmasters, not because they want them (or they’d have voted for him when he agreed). ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1635 "2023-01-06T18:36:06Z")
Gosar, for example. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1636 "2023-01-06T18:36:42Z")
IIRC being in a committee allows for more gift to come their ways. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1637 "2023-01-06T18:42:13Z")
> [@MulderMuffin](#): > > will get no campaign contributions Gift link: > **[Just What Do McCarthy’s Antagonists Want, and Why Won’t They Budge?](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/05/us/politics/house-republican-holdouts-mccarthy-speaker.html?unlocked_article_code=9wFhe1X5bPQT7m-B9UzUE5qZ687atQ_dYpC_LX6XgorvPtEUVH8GWojBVaXqu67rtjLbo-0dtlp67W9-peAnVB-yf46ZD9FdCPj1K6KoeZ4hK6WgqEOyq10qZD-Z4lQGYTvX893IwbuR-Dxe9heOPAQMyU09jtoavYOqT3BIQluyC3KCURUNees2TPOXqW3icKYMQdo4UhO3ZUTj1NZQumj74KnVRoRNE6vLr4yZyVCeAs6duHzpV6juQIZIgZaHpiF0zrmNDm0vN0lAIJhQSqXf--LetuUI37X15-5368M4D8KPpBi-aihlN8yTAQAOJK2XQHsy8mXFr2skeha45WfKs1mb3fq8NbDS0OW2ERXlboqnfbcD1A&smid=share-url)** > > The Republican holdouts are showing that party leaders’ usual methods of arm-twisting no longer work. “It’s not about policies, it’s about the fight,” said one former operative. > Those kinds of incentives have helped to atrophy Republican leaders’ usual tools of maintaining discipline. Most committee assignments promise a congressional life of thankless drudgery, especially when your political ideology is oriented around stopping government action. > Some of the loudest conservative lawmakers now find it more appealing to become instant celebrities, and can afford to spurn McCarthy’s offers of congressional perks and the K Street-connected money spigot and tap into the fury of grass-roots Republican donors instead. ---
**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 6, 2023, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1638 "2023-01-06T18:45:54Z")
At this point who knows what McCarthy has promised… although he has promised to make just one person able to call for vacate. He could be out fairly quickly when they find out what all he has promised. Apparently the democrat is racing back to get to the next vote, to get the count up to 217 to win. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1639 "2023-01-06T18:50:57Z")
Assuming McCarthy wins, doesn’t this whole mess weaken him out of the gate? ---
**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 6, 2023, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1640 "2023-01-06T18:50:59Z")
Yeah, the thing is, some of the people elected to office are trolls who are in it for the attention. How can McCarthy possibly offer them more attention than they’re getting right now? What can he offer them to compensate for the attention they’ll lose if they vote for him? Assuming they won’t accept an offer of years of therapy to process the lack of love they received from their parents. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770.md?page=81) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770.md?page=83)