Republican’s bid to make McCarthy’s temporary replacement Rep. Patrick McHenry PERMANENT after Jim Jordan’s defeat

After Republicans embarrassingly failed to elect Rep. Jim Jordan as their next House Speaker on Tuesday, the party is now considering formally electing the man who filled-in temporarily while his colleagues fought over the position.

‘Speaker Pro Tempore’ Patrick McHenry, 47, was appointed to the job by former Speaker Kevin McCarthy after his ouster two weeks ago – and while his authority is currently limited to overseeing election of a new Speaker, he could now be the easiest answer for in-fighting among Republicans.

If McHenry were given a longer-term speakership role, the House would work the same procedurally as if there were an elected full-time Speaker in place. If elected, rather than appointed, as Speaker Pro Tempore, there would likely be an expiration date associated. Some have floated November 17 or January 15.

Republican remain in chaos over the fate of the highest role in the House as the lower chamber is frozen in the midst of a waging war between Israel and Hamas terrorists.

Rep. Jordan (R-Ohio) lost his first bid to take the gavel on Tuesday, and the House will reconvene Wednesday to again move for a second vote on promoting the firebrand Republican congressman.

Twenty Republican colleagues voted against Jordan’s first bid.

While Jordan earned just 200 votes, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) earned 212.

Ironically, former Speaker McCarthy got six votes in the roll-call on Tuesday.

McHenry passed on taking a bid at House leadership this Congress to instead serve as chairman of the Financial Services Committee. But McHenry assisted McCarthy in becoming speaker – and later helped him through the whole motion-to-vacate process.

Over McCarthy’s near year of speakership, McHenry was one of the California Republican’s closest confidants.

If McHenry’s temporary post were to become more permanent, a lawmaker would need to go to the House floor with a resolution to formally elect him.

At this point, it doesn’t appear any Republican can become House speaker without at least some support from Democrats. Since the resolution needs 217 votes to pass, it’s highly likely the parties will need to play ball to get something passed.

GOP Rep. David Joyce is one of the lawmakers that could abandon Jordan in his ballot for speaker when the second vote comes down on Wednesday afternoon.

It’s expected that Joyce, who is also from Ohio, will file a motion to formally elect McHenry if Jordan fails again, Punchbowl News reports.

If McHenry gains the Democratic support to be elected Speaker Pro Tempore rather than appointed, it would technically establish a ‘coalition government.’

This doesn’t make much of a difference in the way the House works. Committee ratios would remain the same, the same bills would be taken under consideration and the Rules Committee makeup wouldn’t change.

The only difference is that there would be a Speaker with a shorter expiration date than usual. Some say that date could be as soon as November 17, but others are hoping to push it into the new year – at which point another speaker would need to be elected.

McCarthy had to endure 15 ballots before becoming Speaker earlier this year. It’s unclear how long Jordan will go before giving up his bid.

The hold-out list for Jordan is long, however, and appears to be growing.

If Rep. Joyce does decide to flip to a ‘nay’ for Jordan, he could be joined by wavering Republican Reps. Ann Wagner (Mo.), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Iowa), Beth Van Duyne (Texas) and Drew Ferguson (Ga.).

Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk

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