"Memer of Congress" -- that's how Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA) sees himself this week after taking to X/Twitter to have a good laugh at the circus surrounding Rep. Jim Jordan's (R-OH) attempts to become the next Speaker of the House. He even posted a picture of his new business card alongside a bottle of Wite-Out.
As RedState has been reporting, Jordan failed to secure the speakership on the first two ballots, and seemed open on Thursday to supporting the push to temporarily empower Speaker Pro Tempore Patrick McHenry (R-NC) to pass and finance legislation. This plan would delay the next speaker vote until January 2024, but Jordan and his supporters may be having second thoughts.
In the midst of chaos, you sometimes have to take a step back and have a good laugh. And that certainly seems to be Collins' modus operandi as he and his Republican colleagues navigate a tricky political environment.
On Thursday afternoon, following Jordan's apparent U-turn on backing the McHenry option, Collins drolly commented:
I'm starting to think that allowing Democrats to kick out the Republican speaker was not a good idea.
And on the seemingly never-ending quest for 217 votes:
— Rep. Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) October 19, 2023
On Wednesday, as pro-Palestinian protesters marched into the Capitol, he made his own sign that made his feelings on the matter clear:
Got my sign ready. Is the rally in Rayburn or Cannon? pic.twitter.com/MBVU1HrcLS
— Rep. Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) October 18, 2023
His thoughts on a Wednesday report that Jordan didn't want another vote that day:
I miss the good ole days when we used to do 2-3 votes a day for speaker. Gets it done faster.
This last one is definitely a reference to the not-so-distant-past marathon voting that saw Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) elected speaker just this past January.
And he may have even stealthily put his own name forward for speaker:
— Rep. Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) October 17, 2023
It hasn't been all fun and games for Collins, though, as he also took the Biden administration to task for rocketing mortgage rates and voiced his apparent displeasure at the idea of delaying the next speaker vote until January:
The current people in charge don't need to continue to be in charge. This is ridiculous. My constituents want us voting. If people want to change their minds, then change them. Vote and be judged by our districts. We don't need an interim anything. If any business worked like this place, it'd be out of business, and the executives terminated. Because people who have been here a decade or longer have personal grievances with each other, the party in power can not deliver on our commitments to America. We need to get it together and stop kicking the can.
As of Thursday afternoon, there has been no official word from Jordan or his team on whether or not a third vote is imminent. He is the speaker designee for the GOP, so he can call a vote at any time. If that will be Thursday or January is anyone's guess at this point.
For the record, memer of Congress Mike Collins has twice voted for Jim Jordan to be Speaker of the House.
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