NY Republican says House could 'end up having a Speaker Hakeem Jeffries' as GOP majority narrows

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Hill

03/25/24 10:47 PM ET


Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.) raised concerns Monday that a dwindling House GOP majority due to multiple vacancies could hurt the caucus’s prospects and may even lead to Democrats taking over the chamber. Republicans currently hold a 218-213 majority in the House after former Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) left office Friday.

With Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-Wis.) set to leave his seat next month, the GOP majority will be just four seats. The tight margins have raised alarm bells among some members of the House GOP, including Tenney. “He’s gotta stay,” Tenney said of Gallagher in a Fox News interview with Larry Kudlow on Monday.

“We’re perilous. We could end up having a Speaker Hakeem Jeffries in the interim here while we’re waiting for special elections,” she added, referring to the New York Democrat who serves as House Minority Leader. “Personally, if you’re going to make a commitment to the people that elect you, that you’re going to serve for two years unless you have a really good reason not to serve, then why would you do that?” Tenney continued, “And aren’t we team Republican?”

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) also expressed her outrage this week at the timing of Gallagher’s resignation, which takes advantage of Wisconsin law to ensure it will be vacant through next January. Greene said the House should expel Gallagher before he retires as punishment — and to be able to fill the seat quicker — though the move has not gained support.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4555475-ny-republican-says-house-could-end-up-having-a-speaker-hakeem-jeffries-as-gop-majority-narrows/

[RobertDevereaux]

1. Make it so . . . And swiftly.

[Scrivener7]

2. Don't tease me.

[underpants]

3. Dysfunction and threats

I just looked him up, he has a PhD in government and international relations in 2015. MA from Georgetown.

He seems to be a rank Republican to his core but he did vote against supporting a challenge to the 2020 election and he voted against impeaching Mayorkas. I read somewhere that he has received threats from MAGA.

All that together tells me he doesn’t want to deal with poo flingers like Gaetz, Biggs, and MTG.

[bucolic_frolic]

4. Fundamentally unfair that Kudlow is not serving time with Navarro

[Marthe48]

5. And having Speaker Jeffries would be bad how?

It says a lot that rwnj zombies don't want brains

[getagrip_already]

6. Lost me at expell Gallagher.....

All cred gone. You bloody Moran.

It takes a 2/3 vote in the house to expel a member. You couldn't even get to a simple majority.

Do you really think dems would help here? We WANT that seat open for the rest of the term.

HELLO. Buehler. Anyone home?

Now vote to expell Gaetz and we can talk.

[intheflow]

7. "Team Republican."

That's the whole problem in a nutshell. They believe government is a game. Kudos to the RWNJs that are leaving the losing team.

[Biophilic]

10. Actually they aren't Team Republican anymore. They are Team Trump.

Lots of people didn't sign on to play on Team Trump. Some people signed on to govern. They aren't the same thing.

[NanaCat]

18. They had the chance to unshackle the party from TSF

They didn't. So now, yes, it is Team R as much as it is Team TFG.

Dogs, fleas, lying down and all that.

[cstanleytech]

22. Yup, there have not been real Republicans in decades.

[Bo Zarts]

8. As I have often heard in London pubs: "Hurry up please. It's TIME."

[Harker]

9. "We're perilous", she said.

That's right.

And we're imperiled.

That's why Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker has a tremendous amount of appeal.

[et tu]

11. it's spring and hope is growing! nt

[liberalgunwilltravel]

12. This says it all

"“And aren’t we team Republican?” "

That in a nutshell is the problem with today's American Fascist Party. Rather than being on Team America, they are on Team Dotard! Screw them.

[BOSSHOG]

13. MTG is OUTRAGED

How dare Gallagher hurt us. Nobody sposed to hurt anybody but us. Because us are trumps chosen outragists. She’s afraid her actions will make her look stupid. Her solution, do those actions over and over again.

[NanaCat]

19. If that's what frightens her

I fear she is dangerously deluded. Everything she does makes her look stupid.

[live love laugh]

14. Bullshit brinksmanship. Performative politics.

The repeated oustings and defections only serve to excuse them from legislating.

[FakeNoose]

15. Speaker Hakeem Jeffries would be the absolutely BEST thing to happen to this bunch

The Repukes are so hopeless and leaderless, they can't find their way out of a paper bag. First Kevin McCarthy and now Mike Johnson, they've managed to WASTE and DITHER AWAY almost a year and a half.
Time's up assholes!

[angrychair]

16. This isn't possible without Republican Support

Assuming Johnson is voted out as speaker, in order to be elected Speaker, you normally have to have either 218+1 or get that many votes from a combination of both parties.
Since the current breakdown is 218-213 but with 3 vacancies, making the majority 217, Jeffries only needs 4 votes unless there is absences on the Republican side when a speaker vote is called.

[BumRushDaShow]

20. There was the suggestion by Buck

that Johnson might want to worry about the next "3" who could leave after him - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143208340

We've now had 1 go, and if 2 more go, that would be 216... But don't forget that (D)s picked up a seat (Santos) and once a (D) vacancy is filled (special election April 30), (D)s will have 214.

[angrychair]

23. Republican votes in this Congress

Seems impossible. I cannot imagine a situation in which 3-4 Republicans vote for Rep Jeffries to become Speaker.
I mean he could bribe them with committee chairs or better offices but that doesn't seem likely to be a significant motivator.

[BumRushDaShow]

24. There are about 20 - 25 swing state (R)s

including members of the "Problem Solvers Caucus" and there is a potential for them to get wiped out.

So you never know. We are aiming to "wipe out" Bryan Fitzpatrick (R) who is the only (R) seat here in SE PA (PA-1) (district borders and is just outside of Philly).

[angrychair]

27. Fair point

So you think that as many as 3-4 of these cats would actually vote for Jefferies if Johnson gets voted out or you just think in the next election they will get picked up by Dems?
I can see us picking up a lot of the seats lost in NY and CA that we should not have lost in the last election.

[BumRushDaShow]

30. Depending on how low it goes

and who votes or not, they may not need "3 or 4". Just a "majority".

Remember it took 15 times for McCarthy due to the "not votings" and those voting "present".

[jimfields33]

26. McCarthy election up soon. We need that seat!

Go vote!!!!!

[BumRushDaShow]

28. McCarthy election goes to a run off

and that won't happen until May 21st - https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/22/special-election-mccarthy-may-runoff-00148058

(ETA - his was one of the few solid red districts)

[jimfields33]

29. If that's true, that's another seat for them.

I hate that.

[BumRushDaShow]

32. The (R)s that have resigned are in generally "safe" seats

What Democrats are looking to do is possibly unseat Boebert (finally - obviously in her old district) and recapture some seats in NY as well as pick up at least one seat each in LA, GA & AL (due to their forced redistricting to add a majority-minority seat). SC was also supposed to redraw their districts for the same reason but that is being litigated and a decision from the SCOTUS is probably too late now for the 2024 election.

[IronLionZion]

17. Dems need to take the House and Senate majorities this year in a blue wave

these Republicans can't even agree on a speaker. They can't pass any meaningful legislation. They won't even allow bipartisan reform bills a vote. They're completely useless.

[BlueKota]

21. Unfortunately that brain dead Tenney represents my district.

Although in this case I like her prediction of a possible Jefferies speakership.

[birdographer]

25. "You have to have a really good reason not to serve"

Yeah, I think any R's abandoning ship have several very good reasons. So no worries there.

[BlueKota]

33. You don't even have to really think about your vote!

Just ask how does Don the Con want me to vote.

[FlyingPiggy]

31. "Team Republican" doesn't mean you can repeatedly bully the your caucus & treat them like shit.

They’re slooooooow learners but some are beginning to see the light. I hope they crash and burn w their tribalistic, fascist bullshit. I mean fucking burn that shit to the ground.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

34. Sounds good to me

[mountain grammy]

35. Oh please make an old woman's dream

Come true.

[Cha]

36. That would be Brilliant!! TY BRDS!

[DFW]

37. But, but, but.....if Jeffries were to become Speaker, imagine what might happen!

Budget progress, aid to the Ukraianians, health care reform, firearms reform, reproductive care enacted, protection against electoral fraud, and voting rights strengthened--just to name a few! All this improvement of life in America, how would all those Republicans ever keep their blood pressure down?