WASHINGTON — Two former members of Congress from west Michigan, U.S. Reps. Fred Upton and Justin Amash, were floated this week as alternative candidates for speaker of the U.S. House in the case that California's Kevin McCarthy can't clinch the Republican votes needed for election.
Republican Nebraska U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, who had raised Upton as a possible alternative, on Friday stressed how serious the idea of a consensus candidate for speaker — supported by Republicans and Democrats — would become as a "last resort" if negotiations broke down and McCarthy couldn't get to 218 votes with Republicans alone.
"People are making a big deal about it. It's a reality," Bacon said, noting McCarthy can only afford to lose four votes from his 222-member GOP Conference and still get elected speaker.
"You have six or seven (members) who, no matter what you've done, they refuse to be part of the team. ... You are forced to find a way to get to 218 in that case."
The stalemate has brought House business to a standstill for four days this week, with members unable to be sworn in and begin the process of governing until a speaker is elected.
On the 12th and 13th ballots, McCarthy was able to flip 15 of 20 hard-right holdouts to his column Friday, getting him to 214 votes. And he vowed to continue talks to reach an agreement to win over other detractors.
Bacon said he didn't know whether the threat of a consensus or "unity" candidate had helped to move any of the holdouts Friday, but explained the idea was initially discussed as a backup or "work around" because lawmakers "can't let the House be beached."
In theory, the plan would possibly include a number of moderate Republicans voting with House Democrats to elect a centrist candidate to be speaker. The Constitution doesn't require the House speaker to be a current member.
Bacon stressed that his first goal has always been to get McCarthy "over the finish line," with the consensus speaker serving as a "last resort." He added that he knows there would be interest on the Democratic side "if we got there" after speaking to rank-and-file Democrats and a few in leadership.
"This is if everything breaks down. You gotta have a Plan B," Bacon said at the Capitol. "A lot of people thought we should go to Plan B earlier. No. We work Plan A as hard as we can."
Upton, a moderate conservative from St. Joseph whose term ended Tuesday, told The Detroit News this week he found the consensus-speaker candidate idea an "intriguing proposal that I've not rejected."
To get Democratic votes, he said he'd put an even number of Republicans and Democrats on House committees, while GOP lawmakers would retain the panel chairmanships in the majority.
"I still remain a supporter of Kevin," Upton said Wednesday of McCarthy. "He did a lot of things for me, for our caucus. But he's gonna continue to press on, and we'll see how long this takes."
Even the suggestion of Upton as House speaker has infuriated former President Donald Trump, whose impeachment Upton supported following the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection.
Trump posted a rant against Upton on his Truth Social platform this week, saying he would be the "single WORST person the Republicans could have as Speaker would be Fred Upton, almost worse than a Democrat."
Upton isn't the only potential consensus candidate for speaker. Bacon said Upton was on a "list of folks" who would be talked about if Plan B were activated.
"Fred Upton is well-respected on both sides of the aisle," Bacon said.
Amash, a Republican-turned-Libertarian who left Congress after clashing with Trump, traveled to Washington and spent time in the House on Wednesday and Thursday. He was seen speaking to members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus that he co-founded and said he was putting himself forward as "nonpartisan" candidate for speaker.
"I think I would make a good candidate for speaker. I might as well be here," Amash told reporters outside the House chamber Wednesday. "I'm happy to talk to anyone about the possibilities. If they need someone to serve as an interim speaker who is nonpartisan, I'd be happy to do it."
A fierce McCarthy critic, Amash has long proposed reforms to make the House more transparent and open, pushing to decentralize power away from a handful of party leaders including the speaker. He has called McCarthy a "compulsive liar."
Bacon suggested Friday that the possibility of Amash becoming speaker is an even longer shot than Upton. Asked if Amash was on the list of potential consensus candidates, Bacon replied: "He's probably on some people's list."
(Staff writer Riley Beggin contributed.)
