House Republicans Consider ‘Unity Pledge’ For Speaker Race

House Republicans are considering a “unity pledge” meant to bring the conference together and elect a new speaker in the nearly three weeks since Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was voted out of the role.

Rep. Mike Flood (R-NE) proposed the idea after the GOP’s first two nominees — House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) — failed to muster sufficient votes within the party to win the gavel while Democrats have unified behind their nominee, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).

The pledge states that a member will “support the Speaker Designate duly elected by the House Republican Conference — regardless of who that candidate is — when their election proceeds to the House floor” and continue to vote for the candidate as long as the individual remains the nominee.

NEW: There’s a new effort underway to get the House GOP to unite behind the next R who wins speaker nomination in Tuesday forum.

Rep. Flood (R-Neb.) is organizing a bloc of Rs who will withhold support from candidates unless they press their supporters to sign a pledge to do so pic.twitter.com/ykI3nDOMFK

— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) October 20, 2023

Flood urged his colleagues to join him in signing the pledge “so we can move forward with electing a Speaker and get on with the people’s business.”

The GOP-led House of Representatives has been without a speaker for about 20 days since eight Republicans joined with Democrats to oust McCarthy in a no-confidence vote. The vacuum has left the chamber in limbo with Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) serving as speaker pro tempore and no movement on pressing issues, such as reaching a deal to avert a government shutdown that could happen as early as mid-November.

Scalise, who won the GOP nomination in a face-off against Jordan, ended his candidacy before a House floor vote could happen as he faced opposition from a small group of Republicans. Jordan then won the nomination in a second ballot. However, the GOP conference elected to drop Jordan as its nominee last week after he failed to win speakership across three House floor ballots in which he got fewer votes each time.

Nine candidates have entered the contest to become the third GOP nominee. A forum for the candidates is expected to take place on Monday evening, and a vote for the party’s nominee is slated to follow Tuesday morning. The House could move to a floor vote for speaker immediately afterward. A simple majority is needed for victory.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP

The GOP candidates include House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (MN) and Reps. Jack Bergman (MI), Byron Donalds (FL), Kevin Hern (OK), Mike Johnson (LA), Dan Meuser (PA), Gary Palmer (AL), Austin Scott (GA), and Pete Sessions (TX).

Most, if not all, of the candidates have agreed to sign the pledge, while others applauded the idea.

“As a candidate for Speaker, I am happy to sign the Unity Pledge. I pledge to support the Speaker Designate duly elected by the House Republican Conference — regardless of who that candidate is — when their election proceeds to the House Floor,” Meuser said in a post to X.

“It’s time to put politics and personalities aside and unite behind the next Republican Conference choice for Speaker. Let’s get back to work on behalf of the American people,” he added.

Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) issued a message of caution in response to the unity pledge.

“The average American Republican does not, justifiably, trust the majority of the GOP simply for the sake of it – without verification it will do what it said it will do… which it rarely has done,” he said in a post to X along with hashtags advocating cuts to spending and securing the border.