Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Saks, left a Republican conference meeting upset on Thursday, calling the eight Republicans who helped oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy “traitors” who “paralyzed” the House, according to a report.
The Alabama congressman said it appears no Republican contender for speaker will be able to amass the 217 votes needed to be elected, reported Sahil Kapur of NBC News.
Rogers also said it appears Republicans will need Democratic votes to elect the next speaker, suggesting neither House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., nor House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, can make it to 217 votes:
🔥🔥 Rep. Mike Rogers leaves the meeting unhappy, says eight Republican “traitors” (he used the word four times) have “paralyzed” the House by removing McCarthy. He tells me Scalise has the same problems and GOP may NEVER get 217 votes for a Speaker. He says Dems must help. — Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) October 12, 2023
Typically, the majority needed would be 218 votes, but there are currently two vacant seats, dropping the threshold to 217, according to the Associated Press.
WispyCrispyBirdy on October 12nd, 2023 at 21:02 UTC »
This is also the reason that the radical right wing of the Republican party has managed to bully the other parts of the Republican party.
Here's how the negotiating goes:
MAGA Rs: We want the craziest and most radical R to be the speaker.
Other Rs: That seems like a bad idea -- here are some candidates who are still very conservative but who are at least slightly less insane.
MAGA Rs: Nope, you give us who we want or we're not working with you.
Other Rs: That's not how compromise works.
MAGA Rs: Oh, it's not, is it? So what are you going to do, work with Democrats instead?
Other Rs: Oh of course not, we would never work with Democrats. That would be sacrilege, and --
MAGA Rs interrupt: Okay then, it's our way or the highway.
In short: as long as the supposedly "moderate" Republicans refuse to work with Democrats, the MAGA Republicans will just walk right over them. The one negotiating chip that moderates are supposed to hold in their pocket is that they could work with the other party, but in today's Republican party, working with Democrats on basically anything is considered treason.
grixorbatz on October 12nd, 2023 at 20:44 UTC »
"You see, the way it works is the train moves - not the station"
CrudeNewDude on October 12nd, 2023 at 20:44 UTC »
Join team Hakeem.