In Episode 6 of Battleground Politics with Lauren Mayk, former GOP congressman Charlie Dent, who represented Pennsylvania’s 15th congressional district from 2005 to 2018, shares his thoughts on the recent ousting of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Dent also weighs in on potential candidates to replace McCarthy and whether or not bipartisan support for a new speaker is actually realistic.
With the House of Representatives in limbo after the ouster of Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a former Republican member is suggesting his former colleagues have a conversation about power sharing.
“I think that’s something that we shouldn’t dismiss out of hand that there should be – that there might have to be a power sharing arrangement,” former Republican Congressman Charlie Dent said during a recent episode of Battleground Politics with Lauren Mayk. “Because in order to do anything in this Congress, the Republicans need Democrats to help them get the budget agreement and the debt ceiling. They needed them to just keep the government open for 45 days. They’re going to need their help again in a few weeks.”
Dent represented a district that included the Lehigh Valley, serving from 2005 until resigning in 2018.
Dent suggested looking to states where bipartisan agreements elected a speaker, pointing to the time in Pennsylvania when Republican Denny O’Brien was elected with Democratic votes. Earlier this year, Republican House members in Pennsylvania elected Democrat Mark Rozzi as speaker, though Dent said that scenario “did not go well.”
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“Somebody might want to, you know, dust off the playbooks in some of these states where there was success,” Dent said.
Dent also suggested Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick from Bucks County could be a “key player” in any resolution.
“Either behind the scenes or I could see if you’re going to find a Republican who’d be acceptable to the Democrats, they’re gonna want someone who’s not affiliated or associated with that hard line element and that’s someone like Brian Fitzpatrick who’s seen as a pragmatic reasonable member,” Dent said.
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Asked about Dent’s comments, Fitzpatrick said via text that his answer about seeking the Speaker’s job is the same as he gave to House leadership in January when he was asked.
“I prefer to represent my hometown in Bucks County,” he wrote. “It’s the first and only office I will ever run for.”
Here’s a full breakdown of the episode:
:46 - McCarthy ousted
2:15 - Finding a new speaker after McCarthy
5:31 - What does Washington think of McCarthy being gone?
7:20 - Is bipartisan support for a new speaker realistic?
9:20 - What mistake did McCarthy make?
11:18 - Is there enough political will for a bipartisan agreement?
12:31 - Is Brian Fitzpatrick a potential candidate for speaker?
14:41 - An unprecedented situation
15:06 - Does Charlie Dent want to be the new House Speaker?
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