House Republicans must make their choice — and unite

Strange times indeed, although having a mid-session vote for Speaker of the House is not unprecedented. 

Rep. Jim Wright (D-Texas) gave up his gavel in June of 1989 because of ethics troubles.

His successor, Rep. Tom Foley (D-Wash.), had a relatively smooth transition to the Speaker’s office, bolstered by a commanding 251 seat majority, but he would lose his reelection to Congress four and a half years later.

House Democrats didn’t even contemplate a vote to vacate the chair in 1989. Such a procedural move to oust a sitting Speaker never would have dawned on them. 

It did dawn on a small group of House Republicans in July of 1997, but the failed coup against Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) fizzled when the coup-plotters realized that they didn’t have a replacement for Newt. 

In 1989, the House was creaking under what would end up being four continuous decades of Democratic dominance. Power corrupts and the endemic corruption of the Democratic power brokers was becoming completely obvious to the American people. Foley’s easy rise to the Speaker’s chair could only mask the rot of corruption for so long. The House bank scandal, the House Post office scandal and a myriad of other mini-scandals would ultimately weaken the Democratic majority, making it easier for a revolutionary Republican class of to finally take over the lower chamber.

In 1997, the inexperience of the new House leadership undercut its revolutionary exuberance. They had lots of big ideas on how to transform America, as envisioned in its Contract with America. What Gingrich lacked was the judgement and sobriety of a legislative tactician who could make incremental progress through regular order. Newt was built for revolution, not evolution.

House Republicans have a stark choice to make this week in a rare midterm election for Speaker. It is made even rarer because of the circumstances surrounding the ouster of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as Speaker. Unlike with Wright and Gingrich, there was no whiff of scandal surrounding McCarthy. Neither was the Californian unpopular with his colleagues or with the American people. He has higher approval ratings than any other legislative leader and 210 of his colleagues happily supported him staying in his position. Nor did McCarthy want to leave to spend more time with his family. He seemed to like the job and could only be described as a happy warrior.

All of that begs the question: What is this Speaker election really all about? Is it a continuity election or it is a reform election? 

Reform elections usually come in response to corruption. But McCarthy wasn’t ousted because of corruption. He was ousted because personality conflicts with a small group of his members. Those members said that the burgeoning debt was the catalyst for their disaffection, but it is fanciful to blame Kevin McCarthy for our country being $33 trillion in the hole. Blame President Biden, blame President Trump, blame President Obama and blame President Bush, but certainly don’t blame the guy who was only in the job for eight months. 

If this is a continuity election, then it seems like the next guy in line, Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), would be the likeliest choice for the bulk of the House Republicans. He has put in the time as a leader, raised money for his colleagues, counted votes as whip and done the hard work as a legislator. He has been a workhorse and in these types of internal, secret-ballot elections, it is usually the workhorses that win.

If this is a reform election, one that requires revolutionary zeal and an ability to man the barricades in front of cable news hosts, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) would be the choice. Nobody does a better job attacking the Biden administration, the establishment and political moderation than the fast-talking, coat-dispensing Ohioan. Jordan is the ultimate show horse in a world that values show horses, now more than ever.

My sense is that the work horse wins. But I could be wrong.

But either way, House Republicans have to make their choice and come together as soon as possible. World events require that there be a Speaker of the House. Like now.

Feehery, a partner at EFB Advocacy, blogs at thefeeherytheory.com. He served as spokesman to former House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), as communications director to former House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Texas) and as a speechwriter to former House Minority Leader Bob Michel (R-Ill.).