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On September 25, 2015, John Boehner, then Speaker of the House of Representatives, publicly announced his resignation. Two days later, Kevin McCarthy announced his intention to succeed him. After weeks of back and forth in the caucus, the Californian did not get enough votes, so the Republicans had to convince someone who did not want the job, Paul Ryan.
At the time, McCarthy was unable to convince members of the Freedom Caucus, then led by Jim Jordan. This mitigating factor, coupled with his remarks about the Benghazi investigation and a controversial news story about his private life, caused him to opt not to seek office, which he announced on November 8, 2015.
His decision came as a surprise to many of the Republican members of the House, who had to go looking for, in McCarthy’s own words, a “new face”. As the days went by, the name of an old acquaintance began to reverberate through the halls of Congress. In addition to being Mitt Romney’s running mate in 2012, Paul Ryan had been in the lower house for 16 years. However, his candidacy ran into a bit of a problem: the man didn’t want the job.
This refusal came as no surprise to anyone. Being the Speaker of the House is not exactly something members of Congress are looking forward to. For example, when then-Rep. Mac Thornberry was asked if he wanted the job, his response was “I’d rather be a vegetarian.”
“While I am grateful for the encouragement I’ve received, I will not be a candidate,” Ryan said immediately after hearing that he was being considered to replace Boehner. Despite this initial denial, his colleagues gradually pressured him to agree to run, like a group of friends trying to convince a guy who doesn’t want to party one night.
With the approval of the Freedom Caucus, on October 20, Ryan called a press conference to communicate his decision. He asserted that he would only be willing to take the job if he could “truly be a unifying figure” for the party, which he did a month later.
What is the moral of this story? Someone who didn’t want the job, who had zero interest in the job, ended up agreeing to be Speaker in order to unify the party. Nearly eight years later, the Lower House is headed for a ninth vote to elect its speaker and Kevin McCarthy’s name is once again in the eye of the storm.
This time, the situation is very different. The Californian has the support of the majority of the caucus, including the backing of former President Donald Trump. However, due to the slim Republican majority in the House, a group of 20 representatives are reluctant to hand the gavel to McCarthy.
Time and again, the group voted as a whole for another candidate. First, it was Jim Jordan, then Byron Donalds, and possibly another one to come. Despite having negotiated their terms for nearly a night, their refusal to accept McCarthy seems very difficult to change.
In this scenario, while still backing the Californian, some Republicans began to think of other alternatives in case McCarthy opts not to go forward with his candidacy. While this option is highly unlikely, nothing should be ruled out.
All eyes on Steve Scalise (just in case)
If not Kevin McCarthy, then who? It’s a more than fair question given the context. The most obvious choice is someone who, like Ryan, doesn’t want the job either. Steve Scalise (R-LA) is second in the Republican leadership and would make the group of Republican defectors happier, but he has already time and again signed his allegiance to McCarthy.
Like Jim Jordan, Scalise might be more attractive to the “never Kevin” group, but he seems to have no intention of throwing his name on the table unless McCarthy decides to step aside.
Other rumored alternatives include Kevin Hern (R-OK) and Patrick McHenry (R-NC), both committee chairmen once the new Congress opens.
Joaquín Núñez es licenciado en comunicación periodística por la Universidad Católica Argentina. Se especializa en el escenario internacional y en la política nacional norteamericana. Confeso hincha de Racing Club de Avellaneda. Contacto: [email protected] // Joaquín Núñez has a degree in journalistic communication from the Universidad Católica Argentina. He specializes in the international scene and national American politics. Confessed fan of Racing Club of Avellaneda. Contact: [email protected]