Tennessee Lawmaker Urges GOP to Continue Meeting Until Speaker is Chosen

A Tennessee Republican lawmaker, Rep. Andy Ogles, is calling on his party to convene and “lock the door” until a speaker is chosen, even if it means sacrificing the weekend. Ogles has sent a dear colleague letter to his fellow House GOP lawmakers, urging them to continue meeting until a speaker is selected.

The Importance of Selecting a New Speaker

Ogles emphasizes that the ongoing deadlock in the GOP Conference for the Speaker of the House of Representatives damages the party’s credibility with the American people. He argues that for the sake of good governance, the conference should meet later that day, lock the door, and not adjourn until a new Speaker is chosen. Ogles believes that the constant back-and-forth of meeting and adjourning without reaching a consensus undermines the party’s commitment to effective governance.

Addressing the Urgent Issues at Hand

Ogles points out that delaying the selection of a new Speaker hampers Congress’ ability to address pressing issues such as the opioid crisis, the border crisis, the spending crisis, and the recent unprovoked attack against Israel. He stresses that the GOP Caucus cannot afford to appear lackadaisical in its approach to good governance and looks forward to seeing his colleagues later that night.

Current Standstill and Scalise’s Withdrawal

Ogles’ letter comes at a time when the House is at a standstill, lacking a leader for the lower chamber after former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s historic ouster. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who was initially chosen as the GOP’s nominee for speaker, dropped out of the race due to insufficient support for a House-wide vote. With a slim majority, Scalise could only afford to lose four GOP members and still secure the position without Democratic support. House Republicans are expected to meet the following morning to select a new speaker candidate.