Punchbowl News: “It seems completely possible that not a single Republican will be able to win the speakership with GOP votes only. Remember, McCarthy was booted from the job by just eight defectors.”
“In fact, the strongest speaker candidate right now is House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who will have all 212 Democratic votes.”
Key thing to watch: “Some GOP lawmakers will start considering forming a coalition leadership structure with Democrats. This will be unpalatable to a huge number of Republicans
Uh, does the Democratic party have any incentive to form a coalition with them? Just continue abstaining and let the Republicans continue to implode from a situation of their own making.
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Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., a Jordan ally, was confident that the Ohio Republican could win the gavel on the floor but conceded it could take several rounds of voting.
Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., said he was concerned that Jordan's supporters refused to back Scalise on Thursday and told reporters, "When you reward bad behavior, you get more of it."
Other supporters of Scalise expressed similar concerns, and the mood among House Republican lawmakers was tense as members filed out of a morning meeting.
Bacon is among a small group of Republicans who have floated the idea of seeking a consensus candidate who would require some level of Democratic support.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has publicly offered to help Republicans elect a speaker, which he reiterated Thursday in a PBS interview.
"I know there are traditional Republicans who are good women and men who want to see government function, but they are unable to do it within the ranks of their own conference, which is dominated by the extremist wing.