E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSThe House will vote tomorrow to elect a Speaker of the House. While it is likely that Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) will be reelected, if 17 conservatives decide to vote against Boehner, it could lead to the first second ballot for speaker since 1923.
There are no indications Boehner will not be re-elected Speaker. While there will likely be members who vote against him, there is no real candidate that could garner enough votes to take Boehner down.
Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) leaves a House Republican Caucus meeting.
The 113th Congress will convene for the first time at noon Thursday, after which the House will vote to elect a speaker.
Members will be called by name alphabetically and asked for their vote. This vote is different than typical votes, which are done electronically during a set period of time.
The next speaker needs a majority of all votes cast to be elected. They do not need a majority of the full membership of the House. The 113th has 434 members because Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.'s seat will be vacant.
If all members were to vote, Boehner would need 218 votes, unless there are members who are absent for the vote or members who vote "present" (for no one).
Since 1913, the year the House reached the size of 435 members, there has only been one time that no candidate received the majority of the votes cast for speaker.
That was in 1923, when nine ballots over three days were needed before Rep. Frederick Gillett (R-MA) was reelected to the position for a third term.
The speaker does not have to be a member of Congress, but in the history of the House of Representatives there has never been a speaker who was not a member.
Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) nominated Newt Gingrich this year during the Republican Conference meeting, but that nomination was not seconded, and Speaker Boehner was nominated by a voice vote (no objectors) to be the Republicans' nominee yet again. Democrats chose to have Nancy Pelosi as their nominee for Speaker of the House.
Between 1943 and 1995, only the nominated Republican and Democrat received votes, but before that, it was customary for members of other groups within parties would garner votes as well.
Since 1913, the speaker has been elected without a majority of the whole House, but with the majority of those voting, only four times:
-- 1917 (65th Congress) -- "Champ" Clark (D-MO) was elected with 217 votes;
-- 1923 (68th Congress) -- Frederick Gillett (R-MA) was elected with 215 votes;
-- 1943 (78th Congress) -- Sam Rayburn (D-TX) was elected with 217 votes;
-- 1997 (105th Congress) -- Newt Gingrich (R-GA) was elected with 216 votes
Recent speaker votes:
-- 2011 (Jan. 5th): Boehner 241, Pelosi 173, Shuler 11, Lewis (GA) 2 Costa 1, Cardoza 1, Cooper 1, Kaptur 1, Hoyer 1, Present 1
-- 2009 (Jan. 6th): Pelosi 255, Boehner 174
-- 2007 (Jan. 4th): Pelosi 233, Boehner 202
-- 2005 (Jan. 4th): Hastert 226, Pelosi 199, Murtha 1, Present 1
Leave a Comment:
Paging Dr. Bolton...Dr. John Bolton to surgery please...Hillary is waiting......
Poor Johnny. He'll never attain his goal to become Secretary of State and is well on his way to becoming a joke.
In the great words from Bone head speaker of the house, "F" you bone head !
I is absolutely pitiful that the big reason the Republicans don't dump Boehner is because ther are no better options in the entire party. If that is true then they should all be flushed in the next election.
Al--It's probably true that there is no one with Boehner's "stature" to take over as speaker. Given what happened in the 2012 presidential race, that seems to be a common problem in the GOP.
I think that Boehner could probably be a half decent guy if it were not for the far right republicans and the tea party member. He has to watch Cantor as he will not hesitate to stabbing Boehner in the back like he did during the debt ceiling debate last year. Cantor is nothing but a piece of slime and I don't know how the people in his state could even elect him.
In 2009-10, I thought the Democratic party was the most dysfunctional group ever to appear in American politics. I was wrong. The House Republicans are lucky no one catches them peeing themselves.
Its not that bad, it could still be Newt.
A deaf, dumb mute could do a 100% better job as the House Speaker then the drunk Tan man.
They need to get rid of bone-head, Boehner. He does nothing for this country or the American people. He's nothing but a cry baby. He only wants his rich buddies to get a tax break. He gets enough, free health care, doesn't have to pay into social security, and can retire after only three years with full benefits, and we wonder why this country is screwed up. it's because of people like Boehner and a lot of other politicians, doing nothing but collecting a paycheck. get rid of him and the rest.
I agree and will add that ALL of Congress should be set to term limits, just like the President, then we don't have to put up with a recycled bunch of idiots that are in it just FOR the benefits/pay for 20 or more years. Plus their pay should be no more than the average US citizen makes, they will have to pay into S.S., and no secret service for life. They're supposed to be civil servants, nobody special. America needs to wake up
Rock on Chuck. You get it 1000%!
Re-elected for doing exactly what? Shedding a few fake tears Tammy Faye style, pretending to care about his country and countrymen and women? Gimme a break
"There are no indications Boehner will not be re-elected Speaker"
Why not? Boner has done an outstanding job................NOT.
The decline of the party continues.
Gohmert's a stooge for the right wing loon factor and an embarrassment to the country. Cantor the greaseball wants the job. These repukes are just a sorry, sorry bunch.
As long as tea holes and republican'ts keep putting the same "troublemakers" in positions of authority, the country is going to continue with their problems. You'd think the past election would send them a clue, that perhaps it's time for a change. Boner has done far more bad than he has good. But being the imbeciles that they are, they will re-elect him as Speaker. Yea reap, what ye sow!
Doesn't really matter what Congress does, he's done in this state. He won't be re-elected.
Indigo do you mean Ohio? He ran unopposed in Ohio in 2012. I think he will easily win reelection because Cantor is the only one who can give him any problem. Like I said I hate the creep.
I don't see any Republican who is any better than Bonehead. Still, I can't stand the creep.
"Boehner likely to be reelected speaker, but there could be drama"
Another tabloid headline...
NBCNews likely to become a news organization, but there could be doubts...
"There are no indications Boehner will not be re-elected Speaker. While there will likely be members who vote against him, there is no real candidate that could garner enough votes to take Boehner down."
So, by your own words, Mr. Thorp, where would the "drama" be?
I understand all you pundits and wonks desperately need attention, so I'll chalk the headline up to that reason.
While it is likely that Rep. John Boner (R-OH) will be reelected, if 17 conservatives decide to vote against Boner, it could lead to the first second ballot for speaker since 1923.
Boner needs to go Bye-Bye along with his cronies.
They can all retire with their million dollar golden parachutes on our (the tax payers) backs.
Just get the F**K out of politics so you will never again make a decision that will effect my life.
If Bone-head is reelected it will prove that the combined IQ of all voting for him has gone off the cliff.
Boehner should remain as Speaker of the House, he is so entertaining with the crying, the f-bombs, being the lap dog for the super rich, tea partyand waiting at the last minute to do something - causing high anxiety and stress to the entire country - ruining the holidays. Keep him in - I gotten use to this dog and pony show.
Hope they castrate the Bonehead!
If congress re-elects this guy Speaker - they are all just as bad as he is. Shame on them.
Well, I'm not a big fan of the speaker, he's far too liberal for my tastes. But, he redeemed himself by telling that idiot Reid to go f-himself. I guess he deserves another term just for that comment.
Vote Bonehead out
it is on the news now that the "weeper" has been reelected on the first ballot....shame on the House of Representatives, shame on the gutless Republicans and heaven help us all. I applaud governor Christy for his absolute honesty.
Still waiting for Thorp's "drama"...