# 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:** 85
**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 6, 2023, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1681 "2023-01-06T20:04:17Z")
Are the six holdouts Biggs, Boebert, Crane, Gaetz, Good, and Rosendale? ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1682 "2023-01-06T20:05:00Z")
Yup, those 6 ---
**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, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1683 "2023-01-06T20:05:48Z")
Math is hard. How many of them would have to switch to “present” to hand it to McCarthy, assuming everyone else is there and nobody else changes their vote? Edit: for context: > [@](#): > > A source familiar with the negotiations who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly said there is a pressure campaign on the holdouts to get them to vote “present” on the next ballot, whenever that may be. > **[Post Politics Now: House elects McCarthy as speaker after days of defeats and...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/01/06/house-speaker-vote-live-coverage-kevin-mccarthy/#link-VTHT2ZGULZD7JB4IDERYQSWHQM)** > > Republican Kevin McCarthy offered a package of concessions that moved many of the GOP holdouts to his corner. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1684 "2023-01-06T20:06:45Z")
All 6 would have to vote present, or 3 would have to switch, or some combination between those (say 2 voting present and 2 switching). ---
**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, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1685 "2023-01-06T20:08:14Z")
Thanks! Boebert and Gaetz seem like the kind of craycray that’s going to spurn any deal that moves them out of the limelight. Unless two others switch and two vote present, I don’t see it happening. ---
**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 6, 2023, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1686 "2023-01-06T20:15:30Z")
Speculation that there will be a call for an adjournment until 10pm partially to get the two GOP missing back and to try to negotiate with some of the six holdouts. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1687 "2023-01-06T20:16:13Z")
And to think, this is how the founding fathers thought most presidential elections would be decided! ~Max ---
**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 6, 2023, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1688 "2023-01-06T20:24:23Z")
Voting for adjournment is in progress. Will the six holdouts force them to stay? ---
**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 6, 2023, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1689 "2023-01-06T20:32:25Z")
It sounds like McCarthy thinks he has the votes. Rosendale seems to be concerned about a primary fight against Zinke, another Montana Republican, to win the Republican nomination to run against Jon Tester for Senate in ‘24. My guess is McCarthy had to promise to stay neutral in that fight. CNN also reported that Crane is supposedly worried about being primaried from the left (yes, that sounds strange to me), and he wants McCarthy to stay out of his race for re-election in ‘24 as well. Those seem like easy things for McCarthy to give up on, so he probably has it. ETA. Anderson Cooper is ahead a whole week, saying that today is a lucky Friday the 13th for McCarthy 🤣. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1690 "2023-01-06T20:41:17Z")
If this goes on a little longer, the failed vote count will be over 18 and Gaetz will lose interest. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1691 "2023-01-06T20:42:43Z")
Does this include the concessions to the insane caucus? It doesn’t sound like it from the description; I’m certain McCarthy will jettison those given half an opportunity. ---
**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 6, 2023, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1692 "2023-01-06T20:44:11Z")
He can afford to lose Biggs, Boebert, Gaetz, and Good. No need for him to concede anything to them. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1693 "2023-01-06T21:10:58Z")
If those four lose their gamble against McCarthy, it should be noted in the schadenfreude thread. They will be dirt beneath his feet. Not that McCarthy is much of a much, but we takes our schadenfreude where we gets it. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1694 "2023-01-06T21:16:37Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Does this include the concessions to the insane caucus? It doesn’t sound like it from the description; I’m certain McCarthy will jettison those given half an opportunity. It includes most or all of them, including the provisions for the snap vote to hold onto the position and, more importantly, the concessions on having 1/3 of the Rules Committee and more memberships on other key committees from the Freedom Caucus. That’s how he picked up most of the 14 votes. Several of them came out and said that their support came after getting those concessions. He’s not going to be able to jettison those provisions without starting all this nonsense again. I don’t see how this devil’s bargain will be worth it to him in the end. He’s going to be dealing with infighting inside his caucus more than building anything resembling a legislative agenda. But maybe just winning the position is all that matters to him. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1695 "2023-01-06T21:19:07Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > It sounds like McCarthy thinks he has the votes. Politicians never, ever, admit that they could ever lose in the future. “I’ll have to votes tonight.” “The next President of the United States…” etc. That head-in-the-sand optimism is even more annoying than the speeches and ovations during the floor votes. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1696 "2023-01-06T21:20:20Z")
Ow! Well played! 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![omenran](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omenran/32/3318_2.png) [@omenran](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/omenran)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1697 "2023-01-06T21:20:32Z")
But if his goal is simply to be the Speaker, and just achieving that is his ambition. Even for a day or week. Why would he need or want an agenda? ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1698 "2023-01-06T21:22:43Z")
Yeah, I thought their “agenda” for the last 15 years has simply been to block whatever the Democrats want to accomplish. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1699 "2023-01-06T21:23:47Z")
Don’t forget the GOP triple goal of tax cuts, tax cuts, and more tax cuts. Plus a little bit of tax non-enforcement, but mostly tax cuts. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770/1700 "2023-01-06T21:24:06Z")
How is McCarthy keeping track of all his promises? He must be handing them out like a mo-fo at this point, like a desperate junkie. Does he have a minion following him around writing this stuff down? Or is all of this just a bunch of air castles? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770.md?page=84) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770.md?page=86)