Live Updates: the Vote for Speaker
Will Boehner survive the vote?
Here we go!
The Washington Post has the updated whip count as of 10 this morning. They have also confirmed Reps. Amash and Webber as firm “nos,” giving the anti-Boehner coalition 2 more votes toward an alternative candidate.
Boehner is predicted to lose more votes than in his previous bid for speaker, but he also has more room for error:
As Politico reports, at least 12 House Democrats are skipping the speaker vote to attend former New York governor Mario Cuomo’s (D) funeral. That increases the threshold for pushing Boehner to a second ballot to at least 35, making him even safer.
That 35 number, we would emphasize, is a minimum. Boehner needs a majority, so if some members don’t vote, Boehner’s threshold for winning will be lower than the usual 218 votes — as it was in 2013, when it was 214 votes. So if some of these Boehner opponents vote for nobody — as Labrador and Mulvaney did in 2013 — that hurts Boehner less.
We’ll be providing live updates and reactions to the vote, so stay tuned!
You can watch a live stream of the House session here, via C-SPAN.
UPDATES
The live stream is up!
Twitter is already careening around corners at 100 miles per hour:
Tweets from https://twitter.com/LegInsurrection/lists/house-speaker-vote
Here we go. The first order of business for the new Congress is to elect the Speaker of the House. The Republican conference chose John Boehner for the position by unanimous vote last November, so today’s vote will either confirm that choice, or turn the thing completely on its head.
The Democrats have, of course, nominated Nancy Pelosi for Speaker. There’s no rule that says the Speaker must come from the majority, but it would take a major coup for a Representative from the minority party to win.
Republican Representatives Yoho and Gohmert have also been nominated on the floor. Add also Daniel Webster to that list as a last-minute wild card.
The vote has begun! Of note…
Someone just voted for @SenRandPaul.
— Ben Howe (@BenHowe) January 6, 2015
Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN) votes for Collin Powell for Speaker instead of Pelosi. Because, why not.
— Jessica Taylor (@JessicaTaylor) January 6, 2015
BREAKING: GOHMERT VOTES FOR GOHMERT!
— Right Scoop (@trscoop) January 6, 2015
Heh. RT @JFKucinich: Jordan votes Boehner
— Ed Morrissey (@EdMorrissey) January 6, 2015
In 2013, 12 Republicans opted not to back @SpeakerBoehner for Speaker. We're into the Ks voting, and already 15 GOPers won't support him.
— Leo Shane III (@LeoShane) January 6, 2015
Rep.-elect Gary Palmer (R-AL) votes for Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL).
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) January 6, 2015
love how quickly people turned against Mia Love just for voting for the man who helped get her elected
— Ashe Schow (@AsheSchow) January 6, 2015
This vote is taking a really long time:
If there weren’t candid shots of kids sleeping and misbehaving this wouldn’t be worth watching.
— Lisa De Pasquale (@LisaDeP) January 6, 2015
Still no announcements regarding vote. But it appears that the vote has ended. Members still on floor.
— Robert Costa (@costareports) January 6, 2015
And the winner is…John Boehner.
Out of 408 votes cast, Boehner received 216.
Boehner 216, Pelosi 164, Webster 12, Gohmert 3, Yoho 2, Jordan 2, others 9, 408 total votes cast, with 1 present. #Speaker
— Ric Andersen (@ricandersen) January 6, 2015
Boehner re-elected; 25 no-votes from Republicans though. 4 Democrats vote against Pelosi > http://t.co/6xXdOoHA87
— Alex Pappas (@AlexPappas) January 6, 2015
Twitter reacts:
Here are the Republicans who voted against John Boehner for speaker http://t.co/ArZlvxSHbO
— Aaron Blake (@AaronBlakeWP) January 6, 2015
To the freshmen congressmen & women who just broke their promises, we will not forget. #FireBoehner
— Dan Bongino (@dbongino) January 6, 2015
The only thing that prevented the coup from working is that not enough people were interested in a coup. Other than that it was perfect.
— Ben Howe (@BenHowe) January 6, 2015
Maybe next time coalesce around a legitimate replacement for Boehner.
— Ashe Schow (@AsheSchow) January 6, 2015
I feel like these "principled stands" tend to do more to marginalize conservatives than show their power. It's an odd thing.
— Emily Zanotti (@emzanotti) January 6, 2015
Conservatives were never angrier than on the day when the largest House GOP majority since Hoover was inaugurated. Makes sense.
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) January 6, 2015
The Speaker is sworn, the Members have been sworn en masse, and Congress is in session. Happy 2015, everyone!
Oh, now he's just rubbing it in. RT @igorbobic: photo of the day pic.twitter.com/6QlRuGNGbV
— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) January 6, 2015
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Comments
If this rat Boehner survives the vote, the next question will be, ‘Will the Republican Party survive supporting Boehner?’
Hopefully, it won’t — and the Tea Party (in whatever manifestation) does to the Republican Party what the Republican Party did to the Whig Party in the 1850s.
Amen
Sing it, mah brutha.
Go back to January, 2011. There wasn’t a lot of material to work with after the debacles of 2006 and 2008. Boehner was the best of a weak field, vastly outclassed by the potential of many of the just elected newcomers.
In January 2015 that is still the case. None of the younger talent is ready to take over yet. They need another term or two to continue developing the networks of relationships and trust any potential Speaker needs. What the vote tells me is that no one is very happy with Boehner, but no one sees a viable alternative yet, either.
Boehner is going to spend the next two years looking over his shoulder.
funny how there’s always an excuse to do nothing and/or defend the status quo…
the same sort of foolish arguments brought us McLame & Mittens in 08 & 12, and will, like as not, give us Jeb in 2016.
the max effective range on an excuse in 0 meters.
Criticism in the absence of putting forth an alternarive is worth precisely $0.00.
I want to her your case for who should have been elected Speaker, yesterdau. Please include why they have the traits to perform all aspects pf the job, from controlling the caucus, shapin legislation and running the physical aspects of Captial Hill.
“This vote is taking a really long time.”
This author’s perspective troubles me. The republic is at stake, so 45 minutes of voting is too long for her. Quick, go the McDonald’s drive-thru!
The vote, objectively, took a really long time. Twitter had some reactions to that affect. Not sure what’s “troubling” about including those reactions.
“The vote, objectively, took a really long time.”
And what is the ‘normal’ time for a House vote to take? 11 minutes? 18 minutes? Please enlighten us. Objectively.
Easy Henry. You’re angry, me too, but Amy isn’t the problem.
Don’t shoot the piano player.
Speak for yourself. I’m not angry. Ms. Miller has just covered up a snarky slip by pretending it otherwise, that she was merely reporting something said on twitter. I know what I read and that is not the truth. But, supposedly, this vote took a ‘really long time’ compared to other House votes. Really? It seems only natural to ask what the normal voting time is and how that judgment was arrived at, plus it’s informative when there is no response, no answer offered.
I watched the vote on C-Span. If you watched, you are aware, they call each and every representative BY LAST NAME, INDIVIDUALLY, for their vote. There were 401 initially signed in. At the end, it was a few more.
So, yes, it takes time for each person, ONE AT A TIME, to vote. Then, they went through and asked for those who did not vote the first time their name was called, if they wished to cast a vote.
Your easy dismissal of this effort, in light of the astonishing problems our country has, and the frightening – yes, frightening – direction we are headed, troubles me greatly.
Madam, I repeat the theme from my earlier post: we have young soldiers losing arms, legs, receiving traumatic brain injuries, fighting for a smaller hill than we need our representatives to climb. A little time spent while in the embrace of creature comforts, to save the republic is NOTHING, compared have a PTSD or losing a leg or an arm, or both.
This is a country of 300 million people. We should not be required or encouraged to dispense with these necessary processes, because some people find it a waste of time, and would rather be watching The Bachelor.
Miss Karen L. Sacandy
Attorney-at-Law
7450 Highway 92, Suite 120
Woodstock, Georgia 30189
Voice (770) 928-1896
Facsimile (770) 928-9776
In the battle between the money and the people, the money won. Who could have seen that coming?
Boner survives, so it’s time for the GOPe to die.
Colin Powell received a vote…can a non-member serve as speaker, or does the clerk read all votes, whether ‘legal’ or not? Or …?
The Speaker need not be a member.
Ok–I have a fever so my brain is a little fuzzy, but I thought he had to get to 218? And that if the defectors reached 29, Boehner would be out… Is it because only 408 votes were cast, making the number to win only 205?
Soooo disappointed, in any case. Like Thomas Sowell said, “A politician’s first priority is getting elected. His second priority is getting re-elected. Any other priorities (like those of the actual VOTERS–my addition) fall way below those first two.” Or something close to that. They all disgust me!
Absentee Dems lowered the threshold.
Well, enough corrupt rats re-elected the cowardly, backstabbing weasel once again.
ANYTHING that comes across your desktop or in your mailbox from anything “GOP” or “Republican” should go straight into the trash.
This is pretty much a seminal moment: whether we pick up the ball and flat-out run with the Tea Party or die on the vine with the GOP?
Don’t die on the vine.
I’m thinking.
Justin Amash (Mich), Rep. Jim Jordan
Brian Babin (Texas), present
Rod Blum (Iowa), Webster
Dave Brat (Va.), Duncan
Jim Bridenstine (Okla.), Gohmert
Curt Clawson (Fla.), Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.)
Scott DesJarlais (Tenn.), Jordan
Jeff Duncan (S.C.), Trey Gowdy
Scott Garrett (N.J.), Webster
Chris Gibson (N.Y.), McCarthy
Louie Gohmert (Texas), Gohmert
Paul Gosar (Ariz.), Webster
Tim Huelskamp (Kan.), Webster
Walter Jones (N.C.), Webster
Steve King (Iowa), Webster
Tom Massie (Ky.), Yoho
Mark Meadows (N.C.), Webster
Richard Nugent (Fla.), Webster
Gary Palmer (R-Ala.), Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.)
Bill Posey (R-Fla.), Webster
Scott Rigell (R-Va.), Webster
Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.), Webster
Randy Weber (R-Texas), Gohmert
Daniel Webster (R-Fla.), Webster
Ted Yoho (R-Fla.), Yoho
Per the GatewayPundit
Just for those who are acting like voting for a Senator was stupid, ANYBODY can be the Speaker Of The House.
I’d love to see Mark Levin made the Speaker.
I’d have to be far more drunk than I’ve ever been to kiss Nanny Pill-O’See!
But that’s me. And I DO have standards…
Sheesh, who else is extremely disappointed Ted Cruz voted for Boehner?!!!
Washington is “broken” with Establishment / Rinos voting themselves whatever the he** they want.
The battle for America continues. Is Cruz all fluff? *sigh*
ONLY 25 voted against Boehner? W.T.F????
Cruz is in the U.S. Senate so does not vote for Speaker of the HOUSE! Duh!!!
I hope no one is surprised. If there had been a single option, there might have been a real revolt.
I completely disagree. Daniel Webster who received 12 votes, is the former Speaker of the Florida House. They had very good choices. They declined to take them. What happened in the conference last year is an insufficient excuse.
Webster has the skills, for sure. But since he’s only been in the House since 2011 he is not widely known outside of the membership of his committees and members of that class. If he’d tossed his hat in the ring back at the Conference in November and then gone around to other members to campaign for the position, who knows? He’s attractive. As a last minute thing he really didn’t have a chance.
This was like prisoners voting on whether the warden is a nice guy after the warden has repeatedly shown he punishes ‘no’ voters.
I am no longer a Republican after being one all my life (I’m 68.) If the Tea Party starts another viable party, then I’ll be in it. Otherwise, goodbye GOP. I’m not voting for any more Establishment Liars. I sure loved the Constitutional Republic known as the USA while it existed, but it’s now- sadly- part of history.
Hear, hear!
The magical draw of Cuomo’s funeral – hey, who wouldn’t love to see that? – allowed more Republicans to appear to oppose Boehner, appeasing the fringe nuts in their home districts. Of course, had he needed more votes, they would have been there.
Only the wackos ever thought they were going to unseat Boehner or McConnell anyway. But on the bright side, now they have something else to whine and complain about.
Dude, you’ve sunk lower than the liberals. Basically, you’re just a jerk…. but a perfect representative for the establishment GOP.
Sooo true.
The quality of your trademark snark is slipping. I wAs looking forward to a comment about how your three year old granddaughters are smarter than than all of us “wackos” put together.
And it develops that Boehner has already kicked dissenters off committees:
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/01/boehner-allies-out-for-revenge-114007.html
Politics is politics. Maybe the fix was always in. I bolt the Republican Party next week.
As I said in another post, Boehner served notice – if you’re a GOP representative in the House, you will NOT vote your conscience, you will NOT vote as your constituents want, and you will NOT vote in alignment with constitutional law. You WILL vote as you are told. Boehner has declared that GOP House members do NOT represent the people who elected them. They represent the GOP and will vote as they are told to vote.