# 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:** 81
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2024, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1601 "2024-03-23T02:11:56Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > If that happens, does it tip the House to the Democrats? Even if there were sufficient Republican resignations to give Democrats an actual majority in the body, Johnson would remain Speaker unless and until he resigns or is removed by a motion to vacate. Likewise, the current majority-Republican committee assignments will stand unless and until the House passes a resolution to change them. Also, any such majority would be temporary – there are already special elections scheduled in the coming weeks to fill the three currently open Republican seats and one open Democratic seat. All are favored to elect successors of the same party. > [@PhillyGuy](#): > > Maybe this would violate some state laws, but, to encourage party switching, could the Democratic National Committee make a rule exempting any R to D party changing member of congress from a primary challenge at the next election? Even if the state agreed to go along with it, I cannot imagine such a move surviving a court challenge. ---
**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:** [March 23, 2024, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1602 "2024-03-23T02:45:46Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > Also, any such majority would be temporary – there are already special elections scheduled in the coming weeks to fill the three currently open Republican seats and one open Democratic seat. All are favored to elect successors of the same party. A majority of even a couple of days could get a lot of stuff done. ---
**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:** [March 23, 2024, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1603 "2024-03-23T03:24:56Z")
According to Ken Buck, the next three resignations are going to upset republicans. That was before Mike Gallagher, so two more, if what he said is true. Also, I heard a republican on CNN a little bit ago and he was very upset about Mike Gallagher choosing to leave on April 19th. I tuned him out so I don’t know why he’s so mad. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2024, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1604 "2024-03-23T03:30:50Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > Also, I heard a republican on CNN a little bit ago and he was very upset about Mike Gallagher choosing to leave on April 19th. I tuned him out so I don’t know why he’s so mad. Probably because by choosing April 19th, his very red seat will not be able to be replaced by way of a special election. It will leave the seat vacant for 10 months. ---
**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:** [March 23, 2024, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1605 "2024-03-23T03:34:15Z")
Oh, that’s what it was. Thanks. So Gallagher is making a pretty clear statement then? ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2024, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1606 "2024-03-23T03:34:58Z")
So it would seem. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2024, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1607 "2024-03-23T03:39:01Z")
Maybe the Senate-passed Ukraine aid bill, but that’s no sure thing as some Democrats are opposed because of the aid to Israel. They’d have to pass it as-is because their majority wouldn’t last long enough to take it to conference. But it would take at least a few days to depose Johnson, install Jeffries and get their act together. For the record, the upcoming special elections are: April 30: NY 26 (D seat) May 21: CA 20 (R seat) June 11: OH 6 (R seat) June 25: CO 4 (R seat) > [@Aspenglow](#): > > Probably because by choosing April 19th, his very red seat will not be able to be replaced by way of a special election. It will leave the seat vacant for 10 months. Wow. What an FU. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2024, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1608 "2024-03-23T04:11:57Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > could the Democratic National Committee make a rule exempting any R to D party changing member of congress from a primary challenge at the next election? Sounds pretty repugnantly back-roomsy and anti-democratic to me. I don’t want to have to be forced to vote for some opportunistic douchebag even if they are anti-Trump. For example Liz Cheney may have some personal integrity, but from my perspective her political values are still shitty. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2024, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1609 "2024-03-23T11:40:37Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > Probably because by choosing April 19th, his very red seat will not be able to be replaced by way of a special election. It will leave the seat vacant for 10 months. Exactly right. > Gallagher’s decision to leave April 19 also means that there will not be a special election to fill his seat. Under Wisconsin state law, vacancies after the second Tuesday in April are filled in the general election, so Gallagher’s replacement will be decided in November and his seat will remain empty until January. > **[Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher will resign early, leaving House majority...](https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/republican-mike-gallagher-resign-early-house-majority-shrinks-rcna144672)** > > House Republicans lost another member in Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., on Friday. Gallagher's departure April 19 will leave Republicans with just one vote to spare on legislation. Indeed, a huge FU to the POT. (party of trump) ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2024, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1610 "2024-03-23T12:51:29Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > Indeed, a huge FU to the POT. (party of trump) But also an FU to his constituents, who will have no representation in Congress for nearly a year. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2024, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1611 "2024-03-23T13:00:44Z")
I wondered whether the Wisconsin lege could rush through a change to the law, but they’ve adjourned and the GOP doesn’t have a bulletproof supermajority anyway. So they’re stuck, it looks like. ---
**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:** [March 23, 2024, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1612 "2024-03-23T13:01:42Z")
> [@FlikTheBlue](#): > > What I’m hoping for is someone switching from R to D. Anyone who is retiring willing to become Independent? ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2024, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1613 "2024-03-23T13:20:52Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > Even if the state agreed to go along with it, I cannot imagine such a move surviving a court challenge. Something like this seems to have happened the [last time there was a R to D change](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Forbes_(politician)) and the Democratic Party tried to help out the party changer: > [@](#): > > Activists in the Suffolk County Democratic Party recruited a 71-year-old librarian, Regina Seltzer, to challenge [newly Democratic Rep. Michael] Forbes in the 2000 Democratic primary. Seltzer won a court ruling halting state Democratic Party ads for Forbes. Both the national and state Republican parties secretly funneled $250,000 to Seltzer’s primary, which she won by just 35 votes. > > Fireworks company executive [Felix Grucci](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_Grucci), a Republican, beat Seltzer . . . [The GOP seems historically much better at playing this game then is the Democratic Party.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_representatives_who_switched_parties) Being a party changer myself, I am all for it. Loyalty is overrated. ---
**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:** [March 23, 2024, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1614 "2024-03-23T15:40:05Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > But also an FU to his constituents, who will have no representation in Congress for nearly a year. Does having a representative do the constituents any good, these days? ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2024, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1615 "2024-03-23T15:51:53Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Does having a representative do the constituents any good, these days? It can make a big difference in finding out why a Social Security check is delayed, or encouraging Medicare or VA to approve a prosthetic, or filling a military academy appointment. Legislators do a lot more than just write laws. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2024, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1616 "2024-03-23T15:58:47Z")
> [@SunUp](#): > > Legislators do a lot more than just write laws. Well, they’re _supposed_ to, yes. But I’m sure @Northern_Piper’s question is still valid in many constituencies. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2024, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1617 "2024-03-23T16:00:58Z")
> [@SunUp](#): > > Legislators do a lot more than just write laws. Since he’s resigned, is the office closed, and staff sent home? (honest question). I would imagine the staff do the vast majority of the constituency work. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2024, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1618 "2024-03-23T16:29:46Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Since he’s resigned, is the office closed, and staff sent home? (honest question). I would imagine the staff do the vast majority of the constituency work. Huh. It lookes like (as of five years ago, anyway) the staff of a retiring congresscritter gets to stay on under the supervision of the Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. [Cite](https://rollcall.com/2019/10/28/saga-is-not-over-for-katie-hills-office-staff-and-constituents/), 5th through 8th paragraphs. Yes, the staff does the constituent work on Capitol Hill A staffer who knows how to make constituent services run well is worth their weight in gold. Heck, Strom Thurmond had one of the best constituent offices in the Senate, which is most of what kept him in his seat for eight terms. ---
**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:** [March 24, 2024, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1619 "2024-03-24T02:11:00Z")
> [@SunUp](#): > > It lookes like (as of five years ago, anyway) the staff of a retiring congresscritter gets to stay on under the supervision of the Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. > > [Cite](https://rollcall.com/2019/10/28/saga-is-not-over-for-katie-hills-office-staff-and-constituents/), 5th through 8th paragraphs. > > Yes, the staff does the constituent work on Capitol Hill [Remains so under the current law and rules](https://clerk.house.gov/members/RI01/vacancy). The day the sitting member is officially out of the House, the plaque in front of their office with their name is replaced with one that says “Office of the (Nth) Congressional District of (State)”. Of course a lot of it depends on _what staff_ remains there as opposed to having moved to ensure a more secure post elsewhere themselves, which is why the Clerk may hire people to maintain a minimum level of service. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2024, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-great-ongoing-revolving-speakership-of-the-118th-congress-mike-johnson-is-new-speaker-as-of-2023-10-25/991432/1620 "2024-03-24T02:26:14Z")
Generally, a Congressional office will have their casework staff located in one or more offices back in the district, and their Capitol offices will have staff more focused on legislating and messaging. As mentioned, in the event of a vacancy, the Clerk takes over operation of the Member’s offices. But only the caseworkers are allowed to continue doing their jobs. The DC staff pretty much have nothing to do, and generally work on their resumes. Whoever wins the special election will take over the previous member’s offices and whatever staff remain (whom they can retain or dismiss at their discretion). If it was a particularly senior Member that they’re replacing, they may have a nice spacious office with a terrace overlooking the Mall and an _en suite_ bathroom for the Member. But come the next Congress, they’ll be kicked back to the basement of the Longworth building with the other lowbies. [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=80) [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=82)