Democrats crack open door to empowering McHenry to end speaker crisis

Oct 18, 2023

Top Democrats are cracking open the door to empowering acting Speaker Patrick McHenry as an option to end the House’s leadership crisis.

“It’s time to end the Republican civil war, and in order to do that all options are on the table,” Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a brief interview.

“This is their civil war, and they are the ones who have the ability to end it,” seconded Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.).

Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) told POLITICO Democrats would help a governing majority in exchange for concessions like passing appropriations bills, keeping the government open and bringing bipartisan measures to the floor.

“We’ll help, but with some very reasonable conditions,” he said.

Democrats are preparing for an extended day of voting as Republicans put Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan up for another round of balloting. The Ohio Republican is expected to still come up short of the majority required to win the gavel.

Democratic leaders are urging lawmakers to stay on the floor Wednesday ahead of expected procedural votes that would potentially empower McHenry. And Democrats are eagerly awaiting leadership’s signal on how to handle the imbroglio.

“Pretty soon we’ll have Hakeem. I trust his judgment,” former Speaker Nancy Pelosi told POLITICO in an interview.

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