Increasingly desperate GOP remains immobile after sixth speaker ballot

Source: Politico | January 4, 2023 | Jordain Carney, Sarah Ferris and Olivia Beavers

Allies of the conference’s embattled leader scrambled ahead of his failure to secure a majority on Day Two of a chamber in limbo.

Kevin McCarthy failed a sixth straight vote for speaker on Wednesday as signs of desperation grew among a paralyzed — and increasingly furious — GOP conference.

One of them, Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.), compared the process to Dante’s nine circles of hell: “I’m in at least one of them right now.”

Without any movement, the New Jersey Republican suggested party leaders should “get everybody back in the caucus room and start beating the daylights out of each other until we get somewhere.”

He could get his wish. The House adjourned after the sixth ballot until 8 p.m., though the full Republican conference had no plans to meet.

There’s no end in sight to the GOP stalemate, and lawmakers’ determination to resolve the humiliating standoff is growing increasingly frantic. They’ve started floating a range of longshot ideas to their colleagues, and even to Democrats.

One idea multiple members are discussing is adjusting the rules on how to elect a speaker, namely by switching from a roll-call vote to a secret ballot — though the GOP appears split on whether that would help McCarthy or encourage the rebellion.

Another tactic under consideration is arguably more risky for Republicans: Some McCarthy allies have privately proposed electing a House leader through a plurality of votes instead of a majority. That path, which one Republican described as the “nuclear option,” is intended to force conservatives to back the GOP leader or risk handing the gavel to incoming Democratic leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).

Few lawmakers on either side of the aisle believe those strategies would solve their problems. Still, it’s a sign of Republicans’ increasing fatigue and frustration as they see no clear path to electing a speaker after two straight days of votes and months of bargaining.

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