HOUSTON, Texas — Congressman Ted Poe (R-Houston) was on AM 1070 The Answer with radio host Sam Malone to discuss the U.S. House of Representatives Speaker’s race. He told Malone “I have not decided [on the Speaker’s race], if I had, I would tell you Sam.” The congressman said “there is still a lot in the mix today.” Congressman Poe represents Texas’ second congressional district which includes suburbs in eastern and northern Houston.
Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) is under fire from grassroots.
A fire storm of speculation and public comment has erupted after Texas Representative Louie Gohmert put out his name as a candidate for the January 6th Speaker vote. As reported by Breitbart Texas, Gohmert made his announcement on Fox & Friends on Sunday.
Gohmert told host Tucker Carlson “It’s time for a change.” He also criticized Boehner for breaking his promise not to run for Speaker again. In a Breitbart Texas exclusive published Monday morning, Gohmert cited a long list of Boehner’s broken promises.
Breitbart News reported that polling conducted December 26th-30th shows that Republicans overwhelmingly want their Representative to vote for someone other than Boehner.
Ted Poe told listeners on 1020 The Answer on Monday morning that there are presently nine representatives who want someone else and who could vote for Gohmert. He said “as the day progresses, we will see [what] happens.”
The conservative congressman and former criminal court judge said Tuesday’s vote will be taken alphabetically and will be public. The Speaker must be chosen from a majority and it would take a second or third round to get a majority. Poe said it would take 28 votes to go to a second round. He is going to look at who has the chance to get to a second round.
Poe said it would be difficult for Gohmert to win “but we will see.” There will be “lots of talking today and tomorrow.”
The Congressman said he has not talked to Gohmert and he does not think Boehner will call him on Monday to ask him for his vote.
Representative Ted Yoho (R-FL) has also offered his name as an alternative to Boehner. Yoho told Breitbart News Executive Chairman Stephen K. Bannon on Breitbart News Sunday, “I fear no man.” He does not expect payback for trying to replace Boehner. Yoho told listeners that the voters in his district are urging him to vote against Boehner because he is a “weak leader” who does not accurately reflect GOP values.
The grassroots conservative group FreedomWorks is pressuring Republicans to vote out Boehner and is directing calls and using social media and email to do so. As reported by Breitbart News, Matte Kibbe, the President of FreedomWorks, said “With a growing Republican majority in the House and a historically high number of liberty-voting fiscal conservatives within it, there is an urgent need to replace Speaker Boehner with fresh, bold leadership that better represents the views of the whole caucus.”
Representative Steve King (R-Iowa) wrote in Breitbart News that he will vote against Speaker Boehner because “We need a Speaker of the House who carries in his bones the conviction of our oath [to support and defend the United States Constitution].”
There are nine House members who have announced that they intend to oppose Boehner. In addition to Gohmert, King, and Yoho, Reps. Marlin Stutzman (R-IN), Jim Bridenstine (R-OK), Dave Brat (R-VA), Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Walter Jones (R-NC) and Thomas Massie (R-KY), will also vote against Boehner.
In an exclusive with Breitbart News, Representative Dave Brat wrote that whoever puts their name forward to run for Speaker on Tuesday, “must communicate on paper how Congress is going to lead on the big issues. The American people elected us to solve trillion-dollar problems, not to kick the can down the road with only symbolic votes.”
Well-placed sources who spoke to Breitbart Texas on condition of anonymity, said while Republicans have shared their frustration about Boehner, they were skeptical that there was a viable alternative among House Republicans. They expect Boehner to easily win re-election.
Lana Shadwick is a contributing writer and legal analyst for Breitbart Texas. Follow her on Twitter @LanaShadwick2.
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