Faced with their own deadlock in a speaker race, Democratic lawmakers in Pennsylvania backed state Rep. Mark Rozzi — who pledged he would operate as an independent and drew 16 Republican votes to get him over the top.
Matt Smith / APFaced with a razor-thin divide in the legislature, lawmakers quickly and unexpectedly coalesced around a surprising compromise pick for speaker this week that, when boosted by more than a dozen members of the opposition party, secured a solution that few thought would be possible so quickly.
State Rep. Ryan Bizzarro, a member of the Democratic leadership in Pennsylvania who was pleased with the deal that led to Rozzi’s incoming speakership, told NBC News:"We were committed to not letting the radicals win," pointing to the state-level Freedom Caucus recently assembled in the Keystone State.
Gregory said he was joking around with state Rep. Tim O’Neal, a member of the Republican leadership, about tapping Rozzi to be speaker. But the kidding was soon put aside as GOP leaders considered having Rozzi serve as an independent in exchange for winning over Republican votes — an arrangement that, following the special elections, would divide the chamber 101-101-1, with Rozzi not caucusing with either party. Rozzi, first elected in 2012, agreed.
“And then he does his acceptance speech and announces that he’s now going to be an independent,” Gregory said, adding Democrats"didn’t see it coming. They had no idea."over Republican Rep. Carl Walker Metzgar, with Rozzi earning the backing of all Democrats and 16 Republicans, including all members of the GOP leadership.
"I think … what he was saying is that he will be a truly independent, an independent thinker, and he has pledged not to caucus with either of us," Bizzarro continued, adding,"And it does not appear that Republicans are going to be controlling much of anything."
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Washington delegation members speak on House speaker selection drama“I think the average American looks at this and sees a Congress that is not functioning, and that’s really frustrating,” Gluesenkamp Perez said.
Read more »
Imagine what this ‘independent’ House speaker could mean for Pennsylvania | John BaerThink what could happen if Mark Rozzi is Speaker for the next two years, and the Legislature acts in the public interest instead of its own.
Read more »
‘Washington is broken’: Scott Perry nominated a GOP alternative for House speakerAs Perry pushed for an alternative, Pa. Republican Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick and Guy Reschenthaler continued pushing for support for Kevin McCarthy to become House speaker.
Read more »
Conservative heavyweights call for new House GOP leadership after McCarthy failed to clinch House speakerA group of nearly 50 conservative heavyweights co-signed a statement Wednesday supporting lawmakers who voted against Kevin McCarthy in his bid for House speaker.
Read more »
Illinois House committee passes assault weapons ban, advances to full HouseBREAKING: The Illinois House committee has passed an assault weapons ban bill Thursday night, which will now advance to the full House for a vote.
Read more »
White House downplays national security concerns of House speakership stalemateThe White House is adamant the Republican delay in picking the next speaker of the House does not present a national security risk to the country.
Read more »