Dem
51
GOP
49
In the Ohio State House, Republicans have a huge majority: 67 to 32, enough to override vetoes (not that it is likely to happen since the governor, Mike DeWine, is a Republican). So it should be easy for Republicans to pick a speaker, with votes to spare, right? Well, it didn't turn out quite like that.
Conservative Republicans wanted Derek Merrin (R) as speaker, but he was unacceptable to a substantial number of more moderate Republican legislators. In part, that was because of his politics. In part, it was because a photo came to light showing Merrin palling around with Wes Goodman, a former colleague who was forced to resign due to sexual misconduct. So, 22 of the Republicans in the legislature banded together with all 32 Democrats and elected a more moderate Republican, Jason Stephens (R), as speaker over the wishes of the more conservative Republicans. Is there a message here? We're not sure.
In Pennsylvania, a different, but also unexpected, scenario is playing out. In the November election for the state House, Democrats won 102 seats to the Republicans' 101. But one Democrat died before the election and two won other offices, so when the session convened on Monday, Republicans had a temporary 101 to 99 advantage. They tried to force a vote for the speaker, but Democrats objected. There was a huddle between the leaders. Then there was a motion to adjourn, but it deadlocked 100-100, meaning the House remained in session.
Later in the day, state Rep. Jim Gregory (R) nominated Rep. Mark Rozzi (D) for speaker. Democrats had previously picked Rep. Joanna McClinton (D) as their candidate, but then McClinton endorsed Rozzi. A vote was taken and Rozzi was elected speaker 115-86, with 16 Republicans voting for Democrat Rozzi. After the vote, Rossi announced that he would become an independent.
Having a neutral speaker is not totally off the wall. The office of speaker was inherited directly from the British House of Commons, where the speaker is expected to be neutral. He is more like the sergeant-at-arms or the clerk of the House than a partisan.
However, we might not be done yet. Sooner or later, all three vacant seats will be filled. Democrats are expected to win all three, making the legislature 101 Democrats, 101 Republicans, and Rozzi, a Democrat turned independent, as the tiebreaker. Will the Democrats try to make McClinton speaker again? Will Rozzi give up his new-found power? We don't know.
Will the U.S. House go the way of either of these states? The Republicans have a large enough majority (nine seats once the Virginia vacancy is filled) that they will never accept a Democratic speaker, but they might have to accept that the Democrats could have a role in choosing which Republican becomes speaker. This will only occur, though, if they are unable to agree on their own candidate for speaker. Still, there could be lessons about working with the other party at the state level. (V)