Amid all the news in Washington, a major issue is bubbling below the surface: the looming debt ceiling deadline. In this free Q&A, NJ's @caseywooten.bsky.social sits down with Shai Akabas, executive director of the economic-policy program at the @bpc-bipartisan.bsky.social:
njour.nl/s/728018?unl...
Tonight we riot.
The Capitol rotunda awaits Jimmy Carter, who is set to be brought in soon.
A surprisingly pain-free re-election to speaker for Mike Johnson and a new leader takes charge in the Senate. @caseywooten.bsky.social, @savbehrmanndc.bsky.social, and
@laurengreennn.bsky.social have the latest in this free article:
Both sides of the aisle mostly smiles. Everyone get to go home now.
Two years ago, McCarthy had 4 dissenters on the 14th ballot and then won on the 15th.
Johnson has work to do, but he's still ahead of McCarthy.
The first round of votes for the speakership is done. Moving to the second round soon. Johnson has to flip two of the three Republicans who voted against him. Likley Ralph Norman and Keith Self. Massey has signaled for days that he's not going to move.
Johnson is on the floor, huddled with Scalise and Emmer.
Clyde votes for Johnson ultimately.
I believe Clyde ended up voting Johnson
If memory serves me correctly, some of McCarthy's lieutenants did the initial effort to get holdouts to switch votes, though McCarthy ultimately jumped in. (remember Mike Rogers lunging at Matt Gaetz?)
Johnson has three votes against him in the first round. The round hasn't been called yet, though. Johnson now sitting in his chair talking Jeff Van Drew and Tim Burchett. Burchett could be key here as he has credibility with the holdouts.
Of the Republicans who didn't vote initially, Michael Cloud and Andy Biggs, Andy Harris, Chip Roy, Paul Gosar and Mike Waltz, vote for Johnson, Andrew Clyde votes present.
We're still going to a second round.
Rep. Keith Self votes for Byron Donalds for speaker, making him the third to oppose Johnson. Votes still happening.
Johnson is still in better shape than McCarthy was, who lost 19 Republicans on the first round.
What we could see here is Johnson trying to speak to Norman (Massie may be unreachable) and other potential holdouts on changing their vote before the first round is closed. Stay tuned.
Rep. Ralph Norman votes for Jim Jordan, guaranteeing a second round of votes for the speaker.
Rep. Thomas Massie, as expected, votes against Johnson, backing whip Tom Emmer instead.
After saying the speakership vote will go "multiple rounds" Rep. Tim Burchett votes for Johnson. Other Republicans could still vote against Johnson, though.
Tenn. Rep. Tim Burchett says Johnson speakership vote will go multiple rounds. He's got the power to do that himself, as Johnson can't lose any more GOP votes.
One last thought: Trump likely doesn't want budget hawks in control of the House. In his first term he passed plenty of deficit-busting bills, and Roy and others have proven that they're willing to buck Trump if their position is to the right of his, and that includes blocking spending bills.
It's unclear what Johnson could give up. Chip Roy isn't likely to become Rules Chairman, that would hand over the floor to hardliners. He could promise something like not fast tracking spending bills on a suspension of the rules, but we haven't heard anything like that.
So far, we haven't heard of any concessions on Johnson's part--i.e. more hardliners on the Rules Committee or pledges related to spending bills--and centrist Republicans are generally opposed to giving more carrots to the holdouts given what happened to McCarthy last time.
First vote within 1 hr.
Speaker's election vibes: some holdouts are falling in line to vote for Johnson, not because of him, but to keep Trump's legislative agenda on track. The optimistic guess in 1-3 rounds of voting. (it's about 90 mins per vote because it's by voice)
Coming up:
• How to read a nonprofit's tax forms
• How to cover a city council meeting
• How to read a campaign finance report
Do you have an area of expertise? Share it with us! forms.gle/sYDVVQfUK4B4...
Jimmy Carter's life was bookended by the publication of The Great Gatsby and the rap battle between Drake and Kendrick, and I think that's beautiful.
If Americans want Congress to function and not be captured by billionaires, lobbyists and special interests, it should pay members of Congress more. The same goes double for staffers so you don't just have kids from Yale who have mom and dad pay their rent.
Spotted in Politico...
Want signs of what 2025 will look like on Capitol Hill? Read this unlocked piece from @caseywooten.bsky.social and Lauren Green about the tumult happening in the House:
Connolly disputes the notion that Dems were interested in newer, younger members to lead Dems on House Committees, says this race was about experience.
Dems, though, did pick younger candidates for AG and Natural Resources for ranking members today.
Gerry Connolly defeats AOC to become the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, which will be the stage for lots of battles in the coming Trump administration.
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