When House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) announced his resignation, the pieces appeared to be in place for a relatively smooth transition. At least, that’s how they see his style.
Advertisement
“I’m not running against Kevin McCarthy”. “The anger and the frustration in our membership runs a lot deeper than you folks realize”. “What I’m offering myself up as is: Can I be palatable to those people who desperately want this change and will not, cannot, vote for Kevin McCarthy on the House floor?”
“Harry Reid does'”, said Chaffetz, referring to the Senate Democratic leader. “I want to hear what he is going to do to empower individual members”. – Cordell Simmons (@cordellsimmons) September 25, 2015Boehner’s rise to speaker of the House in 2010 was aided by the tea party. But during Barack Obama’s presidency, they mostly haven’t emulated their Gingrich- era predecessors. They deplore the “pay to play” committee chairmanship system, based on seniority and fundraising prowess. “We shouldn’t expect every bill to be pre-baked”.
“We were entrusted by the American people with the largest majority the Republicans have ever had since Babe Ruth was swinging the baseball bat”, Chaffetz told Fox News Channel’s Chris Wallace. Jones has regularly fought with the leadership, spearheading the first failed effort to depose House Speaker John Boehner in 2013. That discontent simmered over the August recess, but before it boiled over, Boehner chose to jump from the cauldron. He’s shared about 34 percent with fellow Republicans and his party.
In the coming weeks, Republicans will hold an election in the House chamber that will decide Boehner’s replacement.
Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, speaks during a hearing on Planned Parenthood last week.
The speaker candidates are heeding these complaints.
McCarthy, R-Calif., who is expected to benefit from the extra time as he works to shore up support if he is anointed the nominee, will have his best chance to convince skeptical members at a conservative “audition” on Tuesday. The meetings would be legislative strategy sessions, according to Politico.
Representative Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), one of online poker’s most vocal opponents, is making a bid to become Speaker of the House. The upcoming speaker election will be just the fifth time since 1913 that a new speaker has been elected midterm.
In a statement signed by 11 of its 13 members, the Pennsylvania Republican delegation said it will support Mr. McCarthy.
“There there will be a realization at a few point he can’t get to 218”, Chaffetz said of McCarthy.
He added, “But we will also have the wisdom to listen to our constituents and each other so that we always move forward together”.
On MSNBC Chaffetz indicated there are 246 representative Republicans and it takes 218 votes on the floor to actually win the speakership.
Chaffetz said if he fails to win the nomination, he would not contest the position on the House floor. The difference here is that it’s a minority within the controlling party that is upset.
Third-term Rep. Scott Rigell of Virginia offered one example, complaining that he had proposed instituting an hourlong annual ethics training for lawmakers but could not get agreement, even though such a policy is routine at major corporations.
Advertisement
Whomever conservatives elect to support, most Freedom Caucus members hope the pick is unanimous. Much of it involves the process of selecting a speaker.
