Republicans\u2019 race to nominate and elect a new speaker of the House has created a power vacuum that may benefit Democrats as the vacancy spills into its 20th day.<\/p>\n
There are now nine candidates officially in the running to replace former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., but as the GOP caucus mulls its decision, there remain questions about how long the debate will rage \u2013 and if that means the party could lose voters in 2024.<\/p>\n
Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio failed to garner enough votes during his third round of floor-wide votes on Friday, sending party members back to the drawing board in an effort to end a stalemate. Twenty-five Republicans voted against him, leaving him roughly 217 votes short of securing a win. The slim GOP majority and unified Democrat opposition gives any speaker candidate little wiggle room for naysayers within his or her own party.<\/p>\n
Patrick McHenry, who is currently serving as interim speaker, said last week that Republicans will hold another forum Monday on the speakership runs, followed by a likely floor vote Tuesday. The race continues to be cloaked in uncertainty as candidates jockey as the strongest politician to pass muster and garner enough support to secure the speakership.<\/p>\n
CHAOTIC, CONVOLUTED PATH HOUSE REPUBLICANS TOOK TO ELECT SPEAKER LEADS BACK TO SQUARE ONE<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \u2018Republican chaos\u2019 on the Hill could dash the GOP\u2019s hopes of holding onto the House in the next election cycle, but the party could save itself with the election of a new speaker, according to longtime Democrat strategist Hank Sheinkopf.<\/p>\n \u2018If a speaker can be elected, default avoided and defense budgets restored in the face of international crises, the chances of Democratic takeover will be reduced,\u2019 Sheinkopf told Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n McCarthy was ousted on Oct. 3 after a small contingent of conservative Republicans led by Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida rallied support that McCarthy was paralyzing the conservative agenda in the House. Not a single Democrat voted in favor of keeping McCarthy as speaker while eight Republicans voted to oust him in an historic first for removing a speaker in a no-confidence vote.<\/p>\n Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana soon emerged as a possible replacement, but he dropped out after failing to secure enough support.<\/p>\n Jordan, an anti-establishment firebrand and founder of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, became the next nominee as some Republicans rallied around his conservative ideology, including former President Donald Trump, who endorsed him for being \u2018STRONG on Crime, Borders, our Military\/Vets, & 2nd Amendment.\u2019<\/p>\n Jordan\u2019s run came crashing down after he lost support during his third run as news of death threats made against several of Jordan\u2019s holdouts made headlines. Jordan\u2019s office has condemned the threats as \u2018abhorrent,\u2019 but Republicans have spoken out that the messages soured their support or potential support.<\/p>\n \u2018When the pressure campaigns and attacks on fellow members ramped up, it became clear to me that the House Republican Conference does not need a bully as the speaker,\u2019 Georgia Rep. Drew Ferguson, whose family allegedly received threats, said in a statement last week.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sheinkopf argued that some House members are rejecting candidates who align politically with Trump in order to separate themselves from the former president\u2019s legal issues.<\/p>\n \u2018GOP House members are rejecting MAGA candidates in what appears to be a first important step toward Trump independence. Why? The potential negatives arising from the former president\u2019s legal troubles might rub off on Republicans, making it even more difficult to maintain House control,\u2019 he told Fox.<\/p>\n Now, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota, Oklahoma Rep. Kevin Hern, Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, House Republican Conference Vice Chairman Mike Johnson of Louisiana and others announced their runs as potential replacements for McCarthy.<\/p>\n Reports have already circulated of Republican in-fighting over Emmer\u2019s run as those in Trump\u2019s orbit spoke out that the former president would not endorse his run, citing a lack of relationship or contentious relationship, Politico reported last week.<\/p>\n As the speakership race continues, Democrats have been fundraising off the turmoil, arguing that the upcoming election cycle will yield favorable results for Democrats.<\/p>\n \u2018Republicans are in ruin,\u2019 Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal said in an email seeking donations for her next run, Bloomberg reported. \u2018They are wallowing in their own pigsty of incompetence.\u2019<\/p>\n President Biden\u2019s 2024 presidential campaign also sent a fundraising message to supporters, highlighting that the GOP removed its own speaker and a \u2018bunch of extremist Republicans are throwing their name in the ring\u2019 as a replacement.<\/p>\n Democrats have voted for House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries amid Republicans\u2019 runs for speaker.<\/p>\n Democrat strategist Brad Woodhouse weighed in last week that the \u2018dysfunction\u2019 playing out among House Republicans \u2018will benefit\u2019 the Democratic Party.<\/p>\n \u2018There\u2019s almost no doubt that this type of dysfunction and chaos among Republicans will benefit Democrats,\u2019 Woodhouse told Roll Call before Jordan bowed out of the race. \u2018And I think you combine that with the notion that Jim Jordan is a guy that founded the House Freedom Caucus and is one of the most conservative firebrands in the House. \u2026 Even if they solve this current chaos by making him the speaker, they will definitely have cut off their nose to spite their face.\u2019<\/p>\n Former Vice President Mike Pence sounded off against the \u2018chaos caucus\u2019 \u2013 and the eight Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy \u2013 while former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called on voters to rally around Democrats after House Republicans nominated Jordan as speaker.<\/p>\n