“I’m now curious: How does the Speaker get that position — is it a public vote or in-house vote by the other reps?”
This was the question most asked following my recent Policy & Politics column How does Speaker Nadine Nakamura sound?
The short answer is whoever has 25 friends in the state House of Representatives, can be Speaker or Finance Chair, or whatever they want.
With a 26 vote majority in the House, all things are possible. In the State Senate the magic number is 13.
The key word is “majority.” The key phrase is “majority rules.”
There are no rules on how to form a solid majority and thus “organize” the House or Senate. There’s “past practice,” but no rules.
Historically the 26 votes needed to organize the House would all come from Democrats. Occasionally however, if a particular faction or group of Democrats are short of the 26 votes needed, they will organize with Republican votes in order to reach that magic number.
Remember, with 26 votes, all things are possible.
Those 26 votes decide who’ll be House Speaker, Chair of Finance, and other leadership and key committee assignments. They’ll also determine the basic “House Rules” that guide how bills are referred, passed, killed, and resurrected.
Those 26 (or more) House members will reach agreement in private with zero public discussion.
Typically, the discussion and agreement will be “brokered” between only a handful of House members who represent various “factions” within the greater 51 member House.
One or more factions will rally around the incoming Finance Chair, while others will coalesce around that member seeking to be House Speaker.
Sometimes the factions are solid, and other times they’re more fluid with less loyalty between the members.
Needless to say, the more solid the faction, the more votes they bring to the table, and consequently the more influence they have on the ultimate outcome.
If the various factions total at least 26 votes and come to agreement on who will be Speaker and Finance Chair, it’s a done deal. They would then divide up the remaining leadership positions, key committee assignments, and decide on the key House rules.
If they fall short of the magic 26 votes needed, they’ll seek to peel off votes from another faction or otherwise entice uncommitted House members to join them.
The 26th vote can pretty much ask for anything — even the location of their parking space is negotiable.
Some members base their vote entirely on “What’s in it for me?”
Others will condition their vote on the entire package.
Are the Speaker and Finance Chair known to be open, honest and inclusive? Are the proposed House rules acceptable? What about friends and allies in the House, other members in my faction, and the membership in general — are they being treated fairly?
As soon as the incoming Speaker and Finance Chair have locked in the 26 votes, they’ll hold a public vote confirming what they’ve already agreed to privately.
Everything’s done in private, and everything’s on the table.
What happens to members not part of the core group of 26?
What happens to the Republicans and so-called “dissidents,” Democrats who seek systemic change and/or had the audacity to challenge an incumbent House Speaker — and win?
The new majority can follow the path blazed by the past, banish the outsiders and dissidents to Siberia, ice them out of key committees, and otherwise attempt to silence them.
Or, they can provide meaningful opportunities to serve for all, sending a message loud and clear that times have changed, and all voices, are welcome at the table.
This my friends will be the true test of leadership.
