Legislators are signing on to Senator David Johnson’s Senate Bill 40  (7 Senators and 10 House members so far) to revise how political parties do the business of nominating their candidates.

But it’s more of a limited approach to put a bandaid on things, as opposed to wholesale revision of the process.

Senate Bill 40 proposes to fix the issues that vexed delegates attending the Republican State Convention, along with a few other changes:

• A candidate for Governor shall select a candidate for lieutenant governor and certify the selection to the secretary of state no later than five p.m. central time on the second Tuesday in August of the year of the election.
• Attorney General and Secretary of State removed from the list of offices nominated at party conventions, meaning they would be nominated by petition.
• A political party may only hold a state convention for nominating purposes in an even-numbered year.
• A petition for a party’s candidate for attorney general or secretary of state must be signed by not less than one-half percent of the voters who voted for that party’s gubernatorial candidate at the last gubernatorial election
• Parties shall notify the secretary of state of the date and place of the party convention at least thirty days prior to before the date chosen.  (Not 15)
• Associated changes for independent, new party, and alternative political status candidates.

You can read the text of the entire bill here. As well as follow along with how the bill progresses here.

This reform measure fixes some of the headaches that the GOP has experienced over the last several election cycles in their convention process. But I can’t help but wonder out loud about how we’re determining where and how we draw the line, and whether it should go farther, adding State Auditor and Treasurer, and possibly Commissioner of School & Public Lands to the list of those nominated via petition.

Public Utilities Commissioners are not constitutional officers, so they could certainly stay as they are.  But I’m hoping for a more logical reasoning on the change than not caring for the convention challenges in those two races.

This bill will probably not see much activity this week, especially considering the Republican State Central Committee is meeting Saturday morning, and the bylaw changes proposed at that meeting may guide the hand of legislators on how to fix the situation that keeps coming up in front of the delegates.

But once that meeting happens, I’m sure it will be go time on SB40.

Kloucek, who graduated from SDSU in 1978, said many people in his district and across the state have told him they don’t like the Division I move. “Constituents are very much opposed,” said Kloucek. “I think it’s ridiculous. I think it’s an embarrassment to SDSU that they’re doing this.”

– Yankton Daily Press & Dakotan.
Lawmaker Plans Against SDSU Switch
Sep 8, 2003

And he, Tim Begalka, and Clarence Kooistra introduced legislation to try to block it.

20 years later underlines that they were wrong.

Four years ago, I stood in front of you with my left hand on my dad’s Bible and my right hand raised, swearing an oath to uphold the Constitution of both the state of South Dakota and the United States of America. I had won a competitive campaign on election day and was honored to be chosen to be the 33rd governor and the first female governor of our state. We had spent the previous months planning for the day I would take office – learning from previous administration officials and former Governors. We had hired cabinet and staff – worked on a budget plan – and considered legislation to implement the vision I had committed to following through on for the people of South Dakota.

That day, I spoke about the fact that when I was done being Governor, I wanted to be remembered as a Governor who worked for the next generation. I wanted to create opportunities for our kids and grandkids to stay here in our state, live their dreams, and be happy. I talked about the fact that we would no doubt face hardships and challenges, but that I believed our best days were still ahead of us.

I thought I was prepared to be Governor. Done my homework. Asked for advice and taken it. And was ready to go. Standing here today… it is clear there have been a few surprises along the way. A few unpredictable events, storms, policy fights, and even a pandemic. I’m not sure I saw all of those coming, and who could have? But we took on these challenges together and came through them stronger than before. Today, we have the strongest economy and financial foundation that we have had in decades. We have created new careers and jobs here at home. We have made historic gains in economic development and growth. Through our difficulties, we never lost sight of the fact that our power is in our people, and here in South Dakota, “Under God the People Rule.”

The book of Daniel in the Bible talks of how God puts leaders into place, and it is He who removes them. The responsibility of leadership weighs heavy at times on those who are tasked with it, especially during conflict or difficulty. But it is an honor and a trust that I am so incredibly humbled by. There is serious work to be done the next four years. Work that includes protecting our freedoms, investing wisely, and creating opportunity for families to thrive. But there should be some fun, too. We should celebrate all that is good that is happening around us – cheer up and encourage those in our communities and laugh together.

That is why I have chosen to title this speech “The top ten things that surprised me about being Governor.”

Those of us of a certain age will remember David Letterman, a late-night talk show host. Every night, he would unveil his top 10 list of whatever topic was in the news that day, or the latest gossip, or whatever it was that would make people laugh. It was the most popular part of his show each night. Even if we were tired from a long day, we would wait up to see what the top 10 list was before heading off to bed each night. So, I decided a top 10 list here today just might make me popular with all of you! Here we go.

Top 10 list of things that surprised me about being Governor:

Number 10: People care where I am. Now this may sound funny to you, but remember the job I had before I became your Governor – I was a member of Congress. Disposable – forgettable – and easily replaced. I never unpacked my carry-on suitcase for 8 years, slept on my couch in my office in DC, and got stranded in airports hundreds of times, at the mercy of the airline industry. Many times, I would have a flight canceled and miss a prom, play, or ball game of one of my kids. Instead, I would spend the night trying to find the cleanest and quietest spot in an airport to scour the available flight options and try to get where I was supposed to be. Or I’d rent a car and drive all night to get home – many times my staff or family wouldn’t even know there had been issues until everyone woke up the next morning and thought, “I wonder where she is?”

Not as Governor, though. Now I have Highway Patrol officers who track my every move. And yes, I know some of you think they probably should have done that before I was Governor, too! A staff who insists on having every moment of every day planned and scheduled – and a Lt. Governor who seems to care where I am as well. Hmmmm… I used to wonder why Larry called me every morning after we were sworn into office. Then someone reminded me what the Constitution says the duties of the Lt. Governor are: to preside over the state Senate and take over as Governor should something happen to me. When I answered the phone each morning, after he heard my voice and that I was hard at work, Larry went back to bed. Today was not the day….

So number 10 on the list of things that surprised me about being Governor – people care where I am.

Number 9 – Number 9 on the list of top 10 things that surprised me about being Governor: I can wear jeans if I want to. Listen, those who know me best know I’m not a fan of dressing up. Life is hard enough without having to be uncomfortable, cold, or stumbling around in silly shoes every day. Because we work in a professional environment – of course I dress accordingly for each day in front of me. But it took almost a year of me asking the folks I work with, “Can I wear jeans?” and them saying “of course you can, you’re the Governor,” before I really believed it. Then, I found out that I rarely get questioned on my attire… unless I have holes in those jeans – THEN I get lots of questions. People ask, “do you need me to take up a collection to buy you some new jeans, Governor?” Yes Larry, yes – always take up a collection.

Number 8 – Number 8 on the list of top 10 things that surprised me about being Governor: The diversity of our high school mascot names throughout history. Now, most of you know the First Gentleman is passionate about the smallest communities in our state. He has spent many days traveling to meet folks from Lemmon to Winner, from Centerville to Ipswich. He hears about their challenges and also what problems they may need the state to help them solve. He shoots a basket in every town and enjoys the local food or ice cream. Every night when he comes home, I hear about the fantastic people he met and the exciting things that are going on in these communities. And I can guarantee you the one thing he is always going to say to me is “do you know what their school mascot used to be?” We have the Edgemont Moguls, Newell Irrigators, Monroe Wooden-Shoed Canaries, Centerville Tornados, Vale Beetdiggers, Keystone Dynamiters, Gregory Gorillas, and Claremont Honkers. How fantastic are those?

Number 7 – Number 7 on the list of top 10 things that surprised me about being Governor: How quickly decisions can be implemented. Remember now, I’m a farmer and a rancher. I ran several small businesses before – I was used to making decisions and getting work done. Then, I went to Congress. In Congress, we could make decisions or pass bills, but rarely did we see significant change quickly. In fact, it was incredibly frustrating how hard it was to enact real reforms to help people here at home. It could take months or years to fix something that seems just commonsense and easy to do. As Governor, I get the chance every day to be the CEO of the state. We set an agenda and make decisions. I can activate the National Guard, ban TikTok for national security reasons, and order the flags to be lowered to remember important leaders. And while we always look at the consequences of everything we do for the next generation, it surprised me the amount of good we can accomplish just by making the right decision.

Number 6 – Number 6 on the top 10 list of things that surprised me about being Governor: I was more inspired than I thought by the hard work and dedication of our state employees. Now, I always knew that they were committed to South Dakota. But I used to think of state employees as having 9 to 5 jobs with lots of holidays – that’s just not true. In fact, very few of them get to go home at 5 pm each day and forget about their responsibilities. There are roads to plow, communities to keep safe, programs to run, health information and resources to deploy, projects to complete, infrastructure to fix – and most of the challenges we have faced over the past four years dramatically increased their workload. Federal funds and programs, accountability and audits, bomb cyclones, flooding, tornados, a derecho, inflation, supply chain issues, COVID – every one of these have meant much more workload on the people who work for the state of South Dakota without a promise of more money or time off. They are dedicated and work extremely hard around the clock to keep our state thriving.

Number 5 – Number 5 on the list of top 10 things that surprised me about being Governor: No naps – I was promised some naps. I still haven’t gotten one. And I admit, I’m a little ticked about it. And more fishing – I was promised more fishing, too.

Number 4 – Number 4 on the list of top 10 things that surprised me about being Governor: I was shocked by all the items people mail to me at the Governor’s office or at home every week. I love to receive the thoughtful notes, encouraging cards, and see pictures of your families. It is amazing that people take the time to sit down and handwrite a letter of encouragement and wisdom to me. Thank you – I save so many of them. It is incredible how often that note of encouragement comes at just the right time to bless me. Now I’ll admit, I’ve also received some interesting things as well. Such as: a life size cutout of Wonder Woman with my face on it; someone’s birth certificate who wanted to prove to me that they were a real person, but I just keep wondering if they have an extra copy at home for themselves; a real live lobster from Maine; and a whip made from bull testicles. I also have been gifted many garden gnomes: gnomes riding horses, gnomes riding motorcycles, gnomes shooting pheasants, even a gnome riding a rocket named Liberty and carrying an American flag. No matter what the note is or the item that is sent – thank you. Thank you for thinking of me and taking the time to reach out.

Number 3 – Number 3 on the list of top 10 things that surprised me about being Governor: I haven’t had time to go elk hunting – I plan on fixing that in 2023.

Number 2 – Number 2 on the list of top 10 things that surprised me about being Governor: No one cares if you are Governor when you are tubing at the lake. I made the mistake of going tubing this summer. Yes, most of you here today are thinking right now, “Hey wait…I thought she couldn’t swim?” That is correct – I cannot swim. People have tried to teach me for years, but I just sink right to the bottom. In fact, my sister tried to teach me just a few years ago. And after attempting to swim across a pool to her, I sputtered to the surface to see how much progress I had made. I was surprised to only see I was even further away from my goal. My sister was laughing uncontrollably and described my swimming as “it looks like you are having a seizure.”

Well, despite my lack of natural ability to keep myself afloat, I still love to be on the water. This summer, I was talked into getting onto a tube with a couple of friends to enjoy what was described to me as a “tour around the lake to see the beautiful homes.” Then the driver of the boat proceeded to try to kill us. We asked to slow down, to no avail. He spun the boat in circles to create huge waves, only to reverse direction and launch us over them and into the air. I screamed, and yelled, and laughed, and admittedly almost cried in desperation. It seemed as though this particular driver may have been a Democrat, and he was out to settle a score or two. At one point I even yelled “ I AM A GOVERNOR!” There was no mercy. He didn’t care. Number 2 is: no one cares if you are Governor when tubing at the lake.

And number one… The number one thing that surprised me about being Governor is how much I love the job. When I first ran for this office, I knew it would be a great experience and a big opportunity to have a significant impact on South Dakota. I also thought maybe it might be a little boring, predictable, and uneventful from some of the advice that I had been given. For example, I had one person say to me when I told them I was going to run for Governor, “Well, if that’s what you want to do… deal with state aid to education, local issues, and taxes. But national issues are much more exciting and where the focus is.” I wondered if I would enjoy being Governor.

I do – I love the challenge of serving in this role. The opportunity to get up each day with a purpose. Every day is different. The people I work with – and I have the best boss: the beautiful people of the greatest state in this country. And I get to be here at home with my family. I am so grateful to all of you for trusting me to lead this state for another four years. May we always find joy in our work to protect our way of life and chart a path for the future of the next generation.

Today, we are here in this Rotunda where we are surrounded by four statues. They are named Courage, Integrity, Wisdom, and Vision. They represent the virtues and principles necessary to best serve the people of South Dakota. May we reflect those virtues as we work in this building each day for our people. God knows this world needs one place that can give the country hope – and that can do so with dignity and grace. Thank you for the honor of serving.

God bless you, and may God continue to bless the great state of South Dakota.

Gov. Noem Thanks Attorney General Vargo for His Service

PIERRE, S.D. – Today, Governor Kristi Noem thanked Attorney General Mark Vargo for his work on behalf of the people of South Dakota.

“Although Mark he knew the job was temporary, he worked every day for the people of South Dakota. He brought extensive experience with him as he rebuilt trust for our state’s top cop,” said Governor Noem. “Mark reestablished a stable workplace for the employees of the DCI and the Attorney General’s Office.”

Governor Noem specifically applauds the hiring of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Person Coordinator, a position she permanently funded in the state’s budget last year.

Governor Noem appointed Mark Vargo on June 28, 2022, after Vargo prosecuted former Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg in the Senate’s impeachment trial last summer.

###

From Twitter comes a tremendous breach of privacy, as the committee investigating the January 6th insurrection has, intentionally or not, possibly leaked the Social Security Numbers of Governor Kristi Noem, First Gentleman Bryon Noem, and several other Noem Family members in the course of releasing documents:

My lawyers have asked the @WhiteHouse, the @USNatArchives, and @BennieGThompson which of them is responsible for leaking the Social Security Numbers of me, my husband, my 3 kids, and my son-in-law.

What specific measures and remedies will be taken to protect our identities? pic.twitter.com/HWBu5ukWPP

— Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) January 6, 2023

This is in relation to a release of information as detailed here on Fox News:

The Washington Post reported Friday that the leaked Social Security information was included in a spreadsheet buried within the “massive cache” of records from the committee’s work. Social Security numbers belonging to at least three members of Trump’s cabinet, a few Republican governors, and several Trump associates were reportedly compromised. The data was part of the White House visitor logs published by the committee.

While many Social Security numbers in the logs were redacted, the Post reported that around 1,900 of them were not. The Government Publishing Office (GPO), which was responsible for publishing the file, does not appear to have notified any of the individuals whose private information was released, the report said.

Read the story here.

Attorney General Mark Vargo praises staff, looks back and looks forward as he leaves office

PIERRE, S.D. – On his last day in office, Attorney General Mark Vargo offered words of high praise Friday for the attorneys, investigators and staff at the Attorney General’s Office and the state Division of Criminal Investigation. “It is the strength of your character that ensures this office so well serves the people of South Dakota,” he said to the team which gathered in the atrium of the George S. Mickelson Criminal Justice Center in Pierre, S.D.

Vargo, who will return next week to his job as Pennington County State’s Attorney, was appointed by Gov. Kristi Noem to serve as Attorney General in June 2022 after he successfully led the Senate impeachment trial against former Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg. Ravnsborg was accused of fatally running over a pedestrian and leaving the scene in 2020.

“Some might have expected that I would find low morale and disorder” in the office, said Vargo. “That’s not what I found at all. I found an amazing group of talented and dedicated prosecutors, investigators, technicians and staff who had rolled up their sleeves to perform for the citizens of the state.”

Vargo also found that very little effort had gone into hiring a coordinator for the new Office of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons that the Legislature created in 2021. He made it a priority to not only find the right person for the job but also to focus attention on improving relations between the state government and the state’s tribal communities by launching the position in a way to best set it up for success.

First, find the right person. “I found that there were only a handful of applications for the post and that there was no evidence anyone had read through them. I reposted the job,” said Vargo. Eventually there were more than 70 applications for the post.

Second, launch the MMIP position in the right way. In September Vargo convened an advisory circle to guide him in the hiring process. He reached out to Red Ribbon Skirt Society members, who for years have called for action to protect Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, and Legislators such as Rep. Peri Pourier who sponsored the bill that created the MMIP position. He also included representatives from tribal governments and tribal law enforcement. To open the meeting, held at the Mickelson Center, Vargo asked his friends Chris and Tara White Eagle and Pastor Jon Old Horse from Rapid City’s Wambli Ska Society to bring a drum circle to offer prayers and to ceremoniously smudge, or burn sage. The prayer circle grew to more than 150 people and included the staff of the Attorney General’s Office, the Division of Criminal Investigation as well as the invited tribal and Native leaders.

“Our problems don’t respect jurisdictional lines on a map, they don’t respect the color of our skin. So why should our response be divided by those things?” Vargo asked the gathering.

After the prayer circle, the advisory group met to discuss the aims of the MMIP Office and the hiring process. Native leaders welcomed the spirit of inclusion.

“Mark set a very inclusive tone during his term in office,” said Sec. of Tribal Relations Dave Flute. “The consultation he organized before hiring the MMIP Coordinator was one of the most effective I have seen.”

In October Vargo hired Allison Morrisette as the state’s first MMIP Coordinator. An Oglala Lakota Tribal member, Morrisette came from the Pennington County State’s Attorney’s Office where she was the Adult Diversion Coordinator. But there were two more pieces Vargo wanted to put in place to give the coordinator the best chances for success. He wanted to introduce Morrisette to the state and the community in a good way and create a support system for her as she began tackling a job as difficult as MMIP.

For the introduction, Vargo knew that the best place would be at the Lakota Nation Invitational, the celebration of Lakota culture – and basketball – that annually takes over Rapid City for a week in December. When he approached the LNI board to ask if they thought that was appropriate, Vargo was happily surprised that the board not only agreed but decided to honor Morrisette – and a number of women who have long advocated for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women — with star quilts. “It is great that we can come together and work together to protect our people,” said LNI Founder Bryan Brewer.

For a support system, Vargo created the Attorney General’s Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Advisory Council. The group will advise the Attorney General on establishing goals, protocols and parameters for the A.G.’s new MMIP Office.

“The issues surrounding Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women demand attention,” said Tatewin Means, the former Oglala Sioux Tribe’s Attorney General who is co-chair of the MMIP Advisory Council. “I look forward to working with MMIP Coordinator Allison Morrisette, the Council and the Attorney General in making the MMIP Coordinator’s efforts successful.”

The Council, composed of a cross section of stakeholders with the goal that all constituencies are represented, was endorsed by incoming Attorney General Marty Jackley. “The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Office, with the guidance of this Advisory Council, will do important work in this state,” he said. “This is an opportunity to help those looking for answers to the fate of their family members and loved ones.”

It also drew praise from other officials. “I want to thank Attorney General Vargo for his diligence in ensuring that the State acknowledges the issues related to Murdered Missing Indigenous Persons by creating the Advisory Council on MMIP,” said Rep. Tamara St. John. “I will be working along with many others to ensure his goals of building partnerships between tribal and state resources continues.”

From Facebook:

South Dakota PUC approves permit to construct North Bend Wind Project

PIERRE, S.D. — The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission approved a siting permit for the North Bend Wind Project, a wind energy facility slated for Hyde and Hughes counties capable of generating up to 200 megawatts of energy. The action by the PUC was taken during its regular meeting on Jan. 5, 2023, in Pierre.

North Bend Wind and PUC staff filed a settlement stipulation with the commission on Dec. 13, 2022. The agreement specified 45 conditions that must be adhered to during the construction and operation of the project. Land and road restoration, shadow flicker, noise levels, ice detection and ice throw, post-construction grouse lek monitoring and decommissioning are all among the issues the conditions address.

“It’s obvious that significant negotiations have taken place between parties to get us to this point. My concern is for landowners; to ensure that reclamation will be done properly and that things will be made whole for landowners once construction is done,” said PUC Chairman Chris Nelson. “Largely, the conditions parties have stipulated to have worked for other wind farm permits that have been issued by the PUC. It’s my belief that landowners will be protected in the issuing of this permit,” Nelson stated.

PUC Vice Chairperson Kristie Fiegen reflected the important role that PUC staff play in each siting docket brought before the commission. “Our staff take their role in protecting all landowners and citizens very seriously and I really appreciate the countless hours they work to protect the land and interests of both participants and non-participants alike. Including a condition related to aerial spraying is a great example of that dedication,” she said.

North Bend Wind, LLC filed its application with the commission on June 23, 2021, starting the clock on a statutory nine-month review period that included a public input meeting held in Pierre in August 2021. In both November 2021 and February 2022, the company filed requests to extend the deadline for a commission decision, thereby extending the PUC’s review period.

Intervenors participating in the North Bend Wind docket included Judi Bollweg, individually and on behalf of the Tumbleweed Lodge and Bollweg Family, LLLP, and Michael Bollweg, individually and on behalf of Bollweg Family, LLLP. The commission granted their intervention in September 2021 and granted their request to withdraw from the docket at this week’s meeting.

“It is nearly always to the benefit of intervenors when parties negotiate and resolve issues prior to the commission making a final decision. Those negotiations not only allowed the intervenors to withdraw today, but also eliminated the need for a hearing in this docket saving a great deal of time and resources,” stated Commissioner Gary Hanson.

The project will include up to 71 wind turbines and will span approximately 46,931 acres of land in Hyde and Hughes counties. Other components of the project will include access roads and associated facilities, underground 34.5-kilovolt electrical collector lines, underground fiber-optic cable, a 34.5-kV to 230-kV collection substation, a 230-kV interconnection switching station, an aircraft detection lighting system and one permanent meteorological tower.

North Bend Wind estimates construction of the wind farm will cost $265 million to $285 million. The project will interconnect to Western Area Power Administration’s Fort Thompson-Oahe 230-kV transmission line, which crosses the southern portion of the project area. The project is owned by ENGIE North America and is anticipated to be operational in late 2023. Basin Electric Power Cooperative will purchase the power produced by the wind project.

The North Bend Wind Project docket can be viewed on the PUC’s website at https://puc.sd.gov, Commission Actions, Electric Dockets, 2021 Electric Dockets, EL21-018 – In the Matter of the Application by North Bend Wind Project, LLC for a Permit to Construct and Operate the North Bend Wind Project in Hyde County and Hughes County, South Dakota.  

-30-

In a radio address to the nation on January 1^st, 1983, President Reagan said that “New Year’s Day was an especially American tradition, full of the optimism and hope we’re famous for in our daily lives-an energy and confidence we call the American spirit.” Now, as we ring in 2023, I reflect not only on Reagan’s words, but also on South Dakota’s growth over the past year.

South Dakota is thriving. We have the strongest economy in America. We are the best state in the nation for personal income growth. We are the best state in the nation for veterans. And we are the best state in the nation for freedom.

In short, we are the best state in the nation to build the American Dream.

Our population continues to grow four times faster than the nation. This is because we kept South Dakota “Open for Business.” We allowed South Dakotans to exercise their freedom and personal responsibility to create their own economic growth; to achieve the American Dream.

Thanks to the state’s booming economy, the state government has generated record surpluses multiple years in a row. We keep breaking records for state revenues, and with the number of individuals and businesses moving to South Dakota, we know that this growth is sustainable. That is why 2023 will be the year of putting money back in the pockets of South Dakota families.

Last month, I unveiled my budget for this fiscal year. It is critical that this budget be executed in order to return our record revenues to the people. Taxpayer dollars belong to the taxpayers. This year, we will eliminate the state sales tax on groceries, support South Dakota schools, combat inflation, and strengthen our families, businesses, and infrastructure.

In 2022, I took a stand against China. While President Biden took no action against the Communist nation, South Dakota took the lead in protecting our people. I banned TikTok for state government employees. Now, many other states are following our lead. I also announced my plan to prohibit nations that hate America from purchasing our agricultural land, and I will work with legislators this year to make it happen. It is critical to keep South Dakotans’ rural way of life protected, and that starts with preventing intervention from foreign nations like China. In 2023, we will continue to secure the people of South Dakota.

President Reagan said, “let us renew our faith that as free men and women we still have the power to better our lives. And let us resolve to face the challenges of the new year holding that conviction firmly in our hearts. That, after all, is our greatest strength and our greatest gift as Americans.”

We can all appreciate Reagan’s words as we face this new year with hope and optimism. My administration is dedication to protecting our small-town values and trusting South Dakotans to make the best decisions for themselves. Our state has had great success, and 2023 will show us that the best is yet to come. Happy New Year!

###

“Groundhog Day.” “Stalemate.” “Deadlocked.” “Messy.” What is going on in the House of Representatives?

For the past 100 years, electing a Speaker of the House has only taken one vote, and then it’s off to the races. There’s a lot to do at the beginning of the Congress. Swearing-in of all Members, old and new; assigning Committees; and voting on legislation. But this year, electing a Speaker has taken multiple votes. This isn’t unprecedented. Over the course of our history – fourteen times – a Speaker election has taken multiple votes. In 1856, there were 133 ballots until a Speaker was elected.

Essentially, electing a Speaker is a math problem. To become Speaker, a candidate, in this case Representative Kevin McCarthy, needs 218 votes, which is a majority of the 435 Members of the House. Here’s a breakdown of the numbers:

• Democrats have 212 Representatives in the House, so they are unable to get to the magic 218 on their own.
• Republicans have 222 Representatives. Republicans could elect a Speaker on their own, we have the Majority. McCarthy has the support of more than 95% of the conference, which is 215 Members. Seven Members are holding out their support for McCarthy and voting for several other candidates, many who have repeatedly stated they do not want the job of Speaker.

The only Member of the House that can get relatively close to 218 votes is Rep. Kevin McCarthy. As the week has gone on, we have seen progress and movement on both sides, inching McCarthy to 218.

Without a Speaker, nothing can happen in Congress. No Members sworn-in. No Committees or investigations assigned. No legislation passed. No oversight of federal agencies. No opportunity to secure the border.

We need to put our heads together, overcome this obstacle, and get to work for the American people. There is real work to do, and we must elect a Speaker to do the people’s business.

Thankfully there is a silver lining. I believe out of all of this we will be able to govern more effectively as a Republican conference, knowing each other much better than we did last year.

###