Can Pennsylvania Be A Model To Solve The McCarthy Problem?

16 Republicans Join The Democrats To Elect Mark Rozzi Speaker

House Republicans are reeling. McCarthy had all of November and December to have solved this. Instead, it’s gotten worse. Mitch McConnell is celebrating having just become “the longest-serving party leader in Senate history” as he and Biden are conspicuously appearing to work together for the good of the country in a Kentucky photo-op today… and while House Republicans show what they’re made of. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV): “The unsteadiness I see over there [in the House] concerns me. We get the majority, and then we start a circular firing squad. Sen. McConnell has his detractors, for sure. But he’s a strong, steady leader that cares about his members. And that’s what you need. I just hope they can overcome the dysfunction. And also, I’m very glad I’m not back in the House.” John Cornyn (R-TX) was even more pessimistic: “McCarthy’s election to speaker may be the easiest thing he does all year. Then trying to legislate in the majority, obviously that’s going to be very hard. Especially if you have people who are not particularly interested in generating a legislative result and who are more interested in attracting attention to themselves.”

The psychology of the anti-McCarthy faction is very interesting; it really is similar to religious fanaticism. Clearly, they are convinced that they are correct, and everyone else is wrong. They also are convinced that the system is corrupt, and that they alone remain pure.

Gee, and on Greg Olear’s 23 Villains for '23, McCarthy (“McCarthy’s going to make Republicans yearn for the good old days, when the worst thing you could say about their House Speaker was that he was a pedophile”) was only #19— between Marco Rubio and the Pipe Bomber. Marjorie Traitor Greene is #17 (“This wretched, hateful person… true believer of all the Q horseshit; proud Christian Nationalist [read: Nazi]— has no place in polite society, so of course let’s put her in Congress and give her McCarthy’s leash and the keys to his ball gag.”). The only worse member of Congress, according to Olear, is Josh Hawley at #13, who he describes as a “Poltroonish senator who represents, but does not live in, Missouri… Decries the diminishment of the manly virtues, but is best known for either fist-pumping the Capitol besiegers or running away from them.”

And that brings us to Pennsylvania state Rep. Mark Rozzi. I didn’t know much about him beyond that a few years ago, as a state legislator from Berks County, he came out as a survivor of child sex abuse— having been raped by a priest when he was a young boy. Yesterday he was suddenly elected Speaker of the Pennsylvania House.

Late last month we looked at the bizarre political situation in the Pennsylvania House after the elections. Short version: the Democrats won majority control in the 203 seat chamber, netting 12 seats for a 102 to 101 majority. But then one Democrat died and two retired after running successfully for higher office. All three are in blue districts BUT the Republicans are trying to block special elections. So… who would be elected Speaker?

Reporting for the Philadelphia Inquirer, Anna Orso wrote yesterday that Rozzi, a Democrat was elected speaker (115-85) on Tuesday and shed his Democratic Party affiliation to become an independent, announcing “he will put ‘the institution before ideology. I pledge my allegiance and my loyalty to no interest in this building, to no interest in our politics,’ he said during a speech on the House floor. ‘I pledge my loyalty to the people of the commonwealth.’ The bipartisan vote Tuesday represented a stunning elevation for Rozzi, a six-term Berks County legislator who wasn’t serving in the leadership of the Democratic caucus. He’s perhaps best known for being the loudest voice in Harrisburg advocating for changes to state law that would make it easier for victims of child sexual abuse to sue perpetrators.”

He told the legislators that “We’ve heard from the people of Pennsylvania, the press and even members in this own building about how we need to find a new path forward. My entire career I believe I have worked to find that path, and I am honored to have your trust today to serve as Speaker.” Jim Gregory, the Republican who nominated him, said that “At first blush, many might be wondering why a Republican is standing up to nominate a member of the Democrat caucus. The answer is really very simple— we must have a Speaker that reflects the realities that we have before us. For me, Rep. Rozzi has proven himself to be an independent voice. I believe that he will continue to forge that independent path in remaining a fair arbiter for the business of this chamber.” Another Republican, Tim O’Neal, seconded the nomination and then the Democrat who would have been speaker, Joanna McClinton announced the Democratic caucus would support the nomination. 16 Republicans voted with them, infuriating the MAGA Republicans.

Rozzi has made a point of emphasizing his independence and desire to work with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, and his campaigns have featured some positions considered more aligned with Republicans, including being in favor of eliminating school property taxes and cutting business payroll taxes.

He was nominated on the House floor Tuesday by a Republican: Rep. Jim Gregory (R-Blair), who said Rozzi “has a proven history of making tough decisions for people over politics.” A handful of members of the Republican leadership, including now-former speaker Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster), joined him and the Democratic caucus to vote for Rozzi.

Still, Rozzi has been a generally reliable vote for Democrats. Rozzi has voted against efforts to curb abortion access, wants to raise the state minimum wage from $7.25 to $10 an hour, and favors increased spending on public education.

So how would this work in Congress? Take an independent-minded Democrat-- say AOC or Matt Cartwright-- who follows their own path and not the party line, and get all the Democrats plus half a dozen Republicans to do the right thingf or the country. Speaker AOC or Speaker Cartwright... either would be just great for the American people-- if not for Kevin McCarthy, the MAGATs, Hakeem Jeffries or Sam Bankman-Fried.