# The Great Ongoing Revolving Speakership of the 118th Congress {Mike Johnson is new speaker as of 2023-10-25} **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 12, 2023, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432 "2023-10-12T02:05:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/221 "2023-10-15T20:55:36Z")
Yeah. Now electing Jeffries would fix that; he’d be able to just ignore them. And if he promised to make all the committees 50/50, I expect he’d keep the promise. But I doubt there’s even – how many would be needed? only 5 – I doubt there’s even five Republicans ready to negotiate to vote for that. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/222 "2023-10-15T20:57:15Z")
There weren’t even 10 righteous men in all of Sodom, so. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/223 "2023-10-15T21:03:20Z")
Jordan is now threatening to primary any Republican that votes against him. That could nudge enough moderates elected in Biden districts (there are 18 of them) to say fuck it and vote with Democrats. It’s not like that is impossible; eight Republicans voted with Democrats to remove McCarthy in the first place. > **[Jordan Activates Right-Wing Pressure Campaign in Push to Win Speakership](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/14/us/house-speaker-republicans-jordan.html?unlocked_article_code=w5XBU_v_cRBqipA-mOiJFjYawKhNMnbcbToUSUTwDqxN4iZSXYjA6fkDRFeu4Xoa-ehz6p7aAKBSm_UYuASP2NIpOffMFhMtcuj9C5V483hZx817L3KNItg3-FvG3LOmn_IUc6BjlRiHIH8b23KeAuMQ_PBva0cLvj4Jh-0TScJ5ZuAcxrBx54npWUN-hSbZXQlz8z0c6WeBrdWzESwKJJuw7neYSYNGovwg9RjxCB0EPlyi8er9lnNTJwb5PIQJuDY3yqcvw9ojexLn4HKxhqWexsOVeu9FsHpeNlj2RzbGz62otGvF5IHecfc8Ls6nysgM3t5FSouPjcuMl2TKZYum33by&smid=nytcore-android-share)** > > Allies of the Ohio Republican, who must persuade scores of his colleagues to support his bid for speaker, are threatening right-wing retribution to any G.O.P. lawmakers who dare oppose him. Gift link. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/224 "2023-10-15T21:31:19Z")
I don’t know – I fear that Russ Vought (who I loathe) in that article may be right. Jordan won’t follow Scalise’s lead and bow out rather than force a bloody showdown on the floor. And it puts Republican “moderates” elected in Biden districts in a bind. Even if they survive a contested primary, they can’t afford to alienate Republican base voters so much that they stay home on the general election day. ---
**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:** [October 15, 2023, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/225 "2023-10-15T22:05:24Z")
Already shared upthread in post 197. But it bears repeating what a POS Jordan is I guess… ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/226 "2023-10-15T22:11:47Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > And it puts Republican “moderates” elected in Biden districts in a bind. Even if they survive a contested primary, they can’t afford to alienate Republican base voters so much that they stay home on the general election day. This is pretty much exactly what I’ve been saying in this thread (and fretting about) for the last several days. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/227 "2023-10-15T22:17:18Z")
They don’t have to worry about getting re-elected, because no matter what they do, that’s not happening. Barring some kind of Kobayashi Maru maneuver, they might as well do the right thing, because their politics have failed them. ---
**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:** [October 15, 2023, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/228 "2023-10-15T23:20:34Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > I don’t know – I fear that Russ Vought (who I loathe) in that article may be right. Jordan won’t follow Scalise’s lead and bow out rather than force a bloody showdown on the floor. And it puts Republican “moderates” elected in Biden districts in a bind. Even if they survive a contested primary, they can’t afford to alienate Republican base voters so much that they stay home on the general election day. So they’re afraid they’ll lose their seat, but they don’t know if it will be to someone to their right or their left? ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2023, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/229 "2023-10-15T23:31:52Z")
“I didn’t expect the face-eating leopard to eat _my_ face!” ---
**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:** [October 15, 2023, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/230 "2023-10-15T23:49:47Z")
I said this in another thread around here - this is the “government can’t do anything right” the Republicans have been whining about since Reagan. The Democrats are apparently too functional, so now the GOP says “hold my beer!” ---
**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:** [October 16, 2023, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/231 "2023-10-16T00:09:16Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > They don’t have to worry about getting re-elected, because no matter what they do, that’s not happening. Please, now… we do _not_ **know** that. One whole year from now, in this insane political environment we may be on the road to another squeaker that a “lite-conservative” can gamble on riding and coming through. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2023, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/232 "2023-10-16T00:21:24Z")
Some leaked commentary from the latest Republican meeting: [[Album] Office speaker ![](https://i.imgur.com/xHmLrGx.png?fb "Office speaker") ](https://imgur.com/a/PC5cUSF) ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2023, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/233 "2023-10-16T00:53:52Z")
Jordan is becoming more like his orange BFF every day. I’m just surprised he didn’t threaten to shoot up the homes of anyone who opposes him. If this jacketless wonder actually does win the speakership it will be yet another very sad milestone in the decline of America. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2023, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/234 "2023-10-16T01:05:30Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > They don’t have to worry about getting re-elected, because no matter what they do, that’s not happening. I don’t think that’s a given _at all_. If there’s one lesson Republicans have taken from previous debt limit crises, government shutdowns and their other efforts to blow up the government, it’s that voters blame them in the moment then rapidly forget about it. These “moderates” may calculate that it’s better to just get this Speaker chaos over with and off the front pages. Then they won’t have to worry about an attack from their right and can find one or two wedge issues where they can break with the party leadership to demonstrate their “independence.” Sure they have a narrow path to reelection, but that’s always been the case just by the nature of their districts. They’ve shown that they can win in these districts running as Republicans, and there’s no reason to think they’re doomed now. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2023, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/235 "2023-10-16T01:23:00Z")
CNN says Gymbo doesn’t have the votes. > **[Senior House Republican says GOP members ready to block Jordan | CNN Politics](https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/15/politics/jim-jordan-house-republicans-speaker/index.html)** > > A number of House Republicans are in talks to block Rep. Jim Jordan’s path to the speakership as the Ohio Republican tries to force a floor vote on Tuesday, according to multiple GOP sources. ---
**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:** [October 16, 2023, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/236 "2023-10-16T01:26:12Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > In the future, everyone will be Speaker of the House for 15 minutes. This might work. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2023, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/237 "2023-10-16T01:28:33Z")
I’m free this Thursday. ---
**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:** [October 16, 2023, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/238 "2023-10-16T01:38:39Z")
Monday’s anytime from 1 - 4pm will work for me. > [@Smapti](#): > > CNN says Gymbo doesn’t have the votes. > > [https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/15/politics/jim-jordan-house-republicans-speaker/index.html](https://www.cnn.com/2023/10/15/politics/jim-jordan-house-republicans-speaker/index.html) Hoping this holds. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2023, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/239 "2023-10-16T01:59:18Z")
And a GOP member hints at a bipartisan option: [https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4257216-turner-if-gop-cant-elect-speaker-then-deal-will-have-to-be-done-with-democrats/](https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4257216-turner-if-gop-cant-elect-speaker-then-deal-will-have-to-be-done-with-democrats/) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2023, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/240 "2023-10-16T02:14:10Z")
Two-party rules in a three-party world will end in lots of tears. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432.md?page=13)