More than 80,000 Arizona families are happily using Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program. It’s unfortunate that these families live in constant frustration with Governor Hobbs and her constant attacks on the ESA program. As the newly elected Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives, let me be clear: none of Governor Hobbs’ plans for the ESA program will come to fruition.
Read the full storyTag: Speaker of the House
Minnesota House Republicans Elect Speaker as DFL Members Boycott First Day of Session
The incoming lot of 66 DFL House members made good on their threat to boycott the first day of the 2025 legislative session on Tuesday.
And the 67 Republican House members who showed up to work equally made good on their promise to elect a new speaker.
Read the full storyU.S. Rep. Andy Ogles: Mike Johnson Must Commit to Fiscal Responsibility in Order to Be Reelected Speaker of the House
Tennessee U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) said House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA-04) must lay out and commit to a plan for how he plans to be fiscally responsible in the speakership role if he wants to be reelected.
Read the full storyMAGA, America First Steve Montenegro Elected as First Latino Speaker of the House
The incoming 2025 Arizona Legislature is choosing leadership and committee positions, and selected State Rep. Steve Montenegro (R-Goodyear) as speaker of the house on Tuesday. The longtime legislator, who was born in El Salvador and describes himself as MAGA and America First, will be Arizona’s first Latino speaker of the house.
The Arizona Sun Times spoke to Montenegro shortly after he won the three-way race with 18 votes from 33 Republican voting members. He defeated Rep. Joseph Chaplike (R-Scottsdale), a member of the Freedom Caucus, and current House Majority Leader Leo Biasiucci (R-Lake Havasu).
Read the full storyRepublicans Nominate Mike Johnson for House Speaker
House Republicans voted on Wednesday to nominate House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to lead the lower chamber once more.
Read the full storyTennessee Representatives Congratulate the New Speaker of the House
All eight Republican U.S. Representatives serving Tennessee congratulated Louisiana U.S. Representative Mike Johnson (R-LA-04) after he was elected the 56th Speaker of the House on Wednesday.
Read the full storyFaith and Freedom Coalition Congratulates New Speaker of the House
The Faith and Freedom Coalition (FFC) released a statement Wednesday congratulating Louisiana U.S. Representative Mike Johnson (R-LA-04) after he was elected the 56th Speaker of the House.
Read the full storyTennessee U.S. Reps. Mark Green and Chuck Fleischmann End Bids for Speaker, Pledge Support for Speaker-Designate Mike Johnson
Tennessee U.S. Representatives Mark Green (R-TN-07) and Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN-03) released statements Tuesday night pledging their support for Louisiana U.S. Representative Mike Johnson (R-LA-04), who was elected the Republican speaker nominee by a vote within the GOP conference.
Read the full storyRep. Anna Paulina Luna Asks Rep. Mark Green to Join Speaker Race
Florida U.S. Representative Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL-13) announced her intent to ask Tennessee U.S. Representative Mark Green (R-TN-07) to launch a bid for Speaker of the House.
Read the full storyMinnesota Rep. Emmer Wins GOP House Speaker Nomination
Minnesota GOP Rep. Tom Emmer, the House majority whip, won his party’s nomination for House speaker on Tuesday after five rounds of secret ballot voting.
His nomination now moves to the House floor where it needs at least 217 votes to pass. It’s unclear when the vote will be held.
Read the full storyTea Party Patriots Action Endorses Florida U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds for House Speaker
Tea Party Patriots Action (TPPA), a national conservative nonprofit, endorsed Florida U.S. Representative Byron Donalds’ (R-FL-19) bid for Speaker of the House Monday ahead of the House GOP Conference vote.
Read the full storyRep. Mark Green Passes on House Speaker Bid
Tennessee U.S. Representative Mark Green (R-TN-07) announced Friday he would not seek to be the next Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Read the full storyJordan Not Moving to Third Round in House Speaker Race, Supporting McHenry as Temporary Speaker
GOP Rep. Jim Jordan decided Thursday to not move forward with his bid to become the next House speaker and instead supported a proposal to elevate fellow Republican Congressman Patrick McHenry from his post as speaker pro tem to unelected speaker for a temporary period of time.
Read the full storyRep. Burchett Says Lobbyists Are Fighting Rep. Jordan for House Speaker
A member of the U.S. House of Representatives said Wednesday that Washington lobbyists are to blame for holding up the election of Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH-04) as Speaker of the House.
“Since the lobbyist (K STREET) are coming out full force AGAINST [Jordan] I know I made the right decision voting for him,” Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) said Wednesday morning on Twitter/X.
Read the full storyTennessee U.S. Representatives Rally Behind Jim Jordan for House Speaker
A group of GOP U.S. Representatives from Tennessee have issued statements affirming their support for Ohio U.S. Representative Jim Jordan’s (R-OH-04) bid for Speaker of the House.
Read the full storyCommentary: The Next House Speaker Must Rein In Spending as Debt Set to Top $50 Trillion by 2033
When it comes to restoring fiscal balance, the next Speaker of the House will have his or her work cut out for them, as the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) projects the national debt will balloon to $50 trillion from its current $33.5 trillion by 2033 amid the current retirement wave, as Social Security goes from $1.3 trillion to $2.4 trillion and Medicare spirals from $821 billion to $1.8 trillion annually — and beyond.
Since the debt grows by about 8 percent a year on average once recessions and wars are factored in (both appear imminent), $100 trillion won’t be much further away, by 2037 or so, assuming we don’t default. In this generation’s lifetimes, for sure, if not the Baby Boomers’ who left the gargantuan debt behind.
Read the full storyArroyo Set to Return to Nashville on Saturday to Launch New Book ‘The Magnificent Mischief of Tad Lincoln’
Author Raymond Arroyo joined host Michael Patrick Leahy on Thursday’s episode of The Tennessee Star Report to discuss the inspiration and behind-the-scenes story of his brand-new picture book, The Magnificent Mischief of Tad Lincoln. Arroyo is on his way to visit Brentwood on Saturday for a book-signing event.
Read the full storyMcCabe Predicts the Next Speaker of the House Will be a ‘Placeholder’
Historian and national political analyst Neil W. McCabe joined The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy on Wednesday to share his insights and predictions into why he says Steve Scalise will be the next Speaker of the House. McCabe details the coming twists and turns, and lays out the history of the players and the game underway today in Foggy Bottom.
Read the full storyWe the People Convention Endorses Jim Jordan for Speaker of the House
We the People Convention (WTPC), an Ohio-based nonprofit that advocates for limited constitutional governance, endorsed Ohio U.S. Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH-04) for Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Read the full storyFiscal Conservatives from Arizona and Tennessee Helped Depose Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House
U.S. Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05) laid it all on the line Tuesday afternoon in supporting a motion to vacate to remove Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA-23) from the post he has tenuously held for less than a year.
“Speaker McCarthy has failed to demonstrate himself as an effective leader who will change the status quo. He has gone against many of the promises he made in January and can no longer be trusted at the helm,” Biggs said.
Read the full storyWisconsin Republican Delegation Celebrates McCarthy Win
The 15th vote was the charm for U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). But Wisconsin’s Republican House members had the new Speaker’s back from the first vote.
As McCarthy finally claimed enough votes for his narrow victory early Saturday morning (on the 15th ballot), U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Janesville) tweeted a photo of himself holding the last tally with the celebratory message, “McCarthy Wins!”
Read the full storyTennessee U.S. Representative Burchett Strafes Alabama’s Rogers for Outburst During McCarthy Battle: ‘People Shouldn’t Be Drinking, Especially When You’re a Redneck’
Even though U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA-55) would win the House Speaker’s race, it may have been overshadowed by an incident moments earlier on the U.S. House of Representatives floor involving U.S. Reps. Mike Rogers (R-AL-03) and Matt Gaetz (R-FL-01). Throughout the week, Gaetz had been the figurehead for the opposition to McCarthy’s bid, which kept McCarthy from reaching the required majority to earn the role.
Rogers had emerged as one of McCarthy’s most staunch allies in the ordeal by taking an aggressive tack against the 20-something holdouts led by Gaetz. At one point, Rogers called for stripping the holdouts of their committee assignments, which drew the ire of U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX-21).
Read the full storyCommentary: Lowering the Bar on the ‘New McCarthyism’
“If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” That seems to be Kevin McCarthy’s favorite mantra. Friday night, on the 15th vote for speaker of the House, he finally got his moist little palm around Nancy Pelosi’s still-warm gavel. Welcome to the new Republican-ish speaker of the House!
The contest was brutal, occasionally absurd, and the occasion of hilarity and consternation among the punditocracy on both the Right and the Left. The Left clucked their tongues about the “chaos” on view on the other side of the aisle. Some among the GOP agreed and wondered why “their side” could not govern as effectively as the Democrats. Would Nancy Pelosi have put up with this level of dissension among the Democratic rank and file? Others said, no, no, the 20 freedom caucus members (and others) holding up the inevitable were just giving the world a reality show, live-action look at how “democracy” (if not quite Our Democracy™) works and should work.
Read the full storyCongressman John Rose ‘Confident’ Kevin McCarthy Will Do ‘Exceptional’ Job in House Speaker Role
Tennessee Congressman John Rose (R-TN-06) released a statement expressing his confidence in the newly-elected Speaker of the House, California Congressman Kevin McCarthy (R-CA-20). During the chamber’s 15th round of voting that took place late Friday night, McCarthy garnered enough votes to secure the role of Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives for the 118th Congress.
Read the full storySpeaker Vos Vilified ‘Rogue Holdouts’ in 2017
As tempers flare in the Republican battle for Speaker of the House, the anti-establishment conservatives blocking Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s bid are being likened to pirates — and worse.
Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), a McCarthy loyalist, called the Republican defectors terrorists. They’ve reportedly been described as the “Taliban 19.”
Read the full storyMcCarthy Wins Speakership in Dramatic 15 Round Voting Marathon for the History Books
House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy captured the House speakership in dramatic fashion early Saturday, winning enough votes on a historic 15th ballot that saw 20 renegade Republicans changing their votes under enormous pressure after winning significant concessions about how Congress will operate going forward.
The final vote was 216-212-6.
Read the full storyTN-5 GOP Congressman Andy Ogles Explains 12th Round Vote for McCarthy in House Speaker Race
Tennessee Congressman Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) released a statement offering insight on his decision to switch his vote in the Speaker of the House race during the chamber’s 12th round of voting on Friday.
Ogles voted for California Congressman Kevin McCarthy (R-CA-20) in the speakership race during the chamber’s 12th round of voting on Friday, The Tennessee Star previously reported.
Read the full storyHouse Adjourns Until 10 p.m. After McCarthy Comes Up Short for Speaker in 13 Rounds
The House of Representatives convened on Friday for the fourth day of voting for speaker and House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy has picked up 15 votes from GOP holdouts but he’s still short of the simple majority needed to win.
The House passed a motion to adjourn until 10pm. McCarthy told reporters he’s confident he will have the votes to win Friday evening.
Read the full storyTN-5 GOP Congressman Andy Ogles Votes for Kevin McCarthy’s Speakership Bid During 12th Round of Voting
Newly-elected Tennessee Congressman Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) voted for California Congressman Kevin McCarthy (R-CA-20) in the House of Representatives House Speaker race during the chamber’s 12th round of voting on Friday.
Read the full storyAll-Star Panelist Roger Simon Talks with Caller Carl About Political Transparency and His New Book American Refugee
Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed all-star panelist Roger Simon in studio to talk about his new book, American Refugee, and the Republican Party’s Speaker election transparency with frequent Caller Carl.
Read the full storyThe Epoch Times Columnist Roger Simon Discusses Why Elon Musk Should Be the Next Speaker of the House
Thursday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed all-star panelist Roger Simon in studio to discuss his recent article at The Epoch Times where he suggests Elon Musk for Speaker of the US House of Representatives.
Read the full storyKevin McCarthy in Animated Conversation with TN-5 GOP Congressman Andy Ogles, Who Has Voted Against Him, During 8th Ballot for Speaker
California Congressman Kevin McCarthy (R-CA-20) was seen speaking to newly-elected Tennessee Congressman Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) during the eighth round of speakership voting in the House of Representatives.
Read the full storyPennsylvania House Elects Democrat as Speaker, Who in Turn Changes to Independent
After delays, motions to adjourn, and much uncertainty, the narrowly divided Pennsylvania House of Representatives chose Democrat Mark Rozzi of Berks County as Speaker of the House.
Rozzi won 115 votes against Republican Carl Metzger of Somerset County, who received 85 votes.
Read the full storyKey GOP Congressman Confirms That Party Blocs Are Negotiating Speaker Deal
Florida Republican Rep. Greg Steube confirmed on Wednesday that the party’s competing wings have entered negotiations to reach a compromise on choosing the next Speaker of the House.
California Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the party’s lead contender for the post, has failed six times thus far to secure the support of a majority of lawmakers. The House voted three times on Wednesday and no candidate received the necessary 218 votes.
Read the full storyThree Arizona GOP Representatives Vote Against Kevin McCarthy for Speaker
The United States House of Representatives began voting Tuesday to elect a new Speaker of the House. Yet, Republican Party frontrunner Kevin McCarthy of California has not secured enough votes to achieve the title. In total, 19 Republicans voted against him, including three GOP members from Arizona.
“We barely got through half the ballot before confirming that McCarthy is still well short of 218 votes. My colleagues have made clear that our party deserves a new leader. McCarthy should stand down and allow us to select someone else in the next ballot,” tweeted Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05).
Read the full storyU.S. House Adjourns Without Electing New Speaker
California Republican Kevin McCarthy failed Tuesday to get enough support in the first three votes as his bid for Speaker of the House struggles to cross the finish line.
The U.S. House adjourned with no debate after the third vote and is scheduled to reconvene at noon Wednesday. Until a new speaker is elected, the House cannot conduct other business.
Read the full storyAll Star Panelists Aaron Gulbransen and Carol Swain Discuss Damar Hamlin’s Injury and the U.S. House Speaker Election
Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed official guest host Aaron Gulbransen and all-star panelist Carol Swain in studio to discuss footballer Damar Hamlin’s injury from Monday night’s game and the selection of a new US House Speaker.
Read the full storyMcCarthy Agrees to Key Rule Change in Effort to Solidify Support for Speakership Bid
With the election for Speaker of the House of Representatives taking place on Tuesday, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has agreed to a major rule change in an effort to secure conservative support for his shaky bid for leadership.
The Daily Caller reports that McCarthy agreed on Sunday to make it easier for a vote of no-confidence to be brought up against a sitting Speaker, changing the procedure so that any rank-and-file member of the House can call for such a vote. Previously, a vote of no-confidence, also known as a motion to vacate the chair, could only be brought by a member of party leadership.
Read the full storyGOP Prepping Steve Scalise to Become Speaker Should McCarthy Fail: Report
House Republican lawmakers have reportedly approached Louisiana GOP Rep. Steve Scalise about a potential bid for leadership of the lower chamber should House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy fail to secure enough support to step into the role of Speaker of the House.
McCarthy has struggled to win the support of a majority of lower chamber lawmakers and many House conservatives have withheld their support in a bid to secure concessions from the California Republican. A disappointing midterm showing has left the party with an incoming majority of just 222 seats, leaving McCarthy with little room to maneuver. To become speaker, McCarthy will need 218 votes.
Read the full storyConservative Congressmen Release List of Demands for Kevin McCarthy
On Thursday, a group of seven conservative House Republicans released a list of demands for House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to consider if he wants to earn their support in his bid for Speaker of the House.
Axios reports that the group, led by Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry (R-Penn.), sent a letter to McCarthy calling for the future Speaker to make it easier to force a vote on motions to vacate the chair, which would make it easier to remove the Speaker from their position of power. Another demand calls for House GOP leadership to avoid spending any money on House Republican primaries in order to prevent the favoring of one particular candidate over another.
Read the full storyState House Speaker-Elect Ben Toma Fills Committee Chairs for Upcoming Arizona Legislative Session
State Rep. Ben Toma (R-Peoria), elected to serve as the next Speaker of the House, has unveiled his list of committees and chair appointments.
“House Speaker-elect Ben Toma today announced committees and chair appointments for the upcoming 56th Legislature, 1st Regular Session, which opens on January 9, 2023,” according to a press release from the Arizona House Republicans.
Read the full storyArizona House Republicans Elect New Leaders for Next Legislative Session
Members of the Arizona House Republican Caucus met Tuesday to elect new leadership positions for the coming legislative session, ultimately choosing Rep. Ben Toma (R-Peoria) to serve as the next Speaker of the House.
“It is a profound privilege to lead the House of Representatives and our Republican majority caucus,” said Toma in response to his election. “Together, I know that the House will rise to meet the state’s immense challenges and we will continue to unlock freedom and opportunity for every Arizonan.”
Read the full storyKevin McCarthy May Not Have the Votes to Become Speaker
In the aftermath of the disappointing 2022 midterm election results, conservative Republicans in the House of Representatives have signaled that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) may not have the support he needs to become the next Speaker of the House.
As reported by The Hill, some Republicans have asked that the party’s closed-door leadership election be delayed while the results of the outstanding races come in.
Read the full storyHerschel Walker Goes After Warnock Before Law Enforcement Press Conference with Newt Gingrich
Georgia Senate Nominee for the Republican Party, Herschel Walker, released several statements on Thursday where he criticized his opponent, incumbent Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock (D), on law enforcement support, crime rates, and his history of support for Joe Biden in the days that lead up to Friday’s press conference with U.S. Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich.
“Raphael Warnock has consistently worked to support criminals instead of keeping our communities safe,” spokeswoman Mallory Blount said. “Crime is rising across the country and Georgia is no exception Atlanta has one of the highest crime rates in the country and Georgians are sick and tired of it. Warnock has done more for Joe Biden than law-abiding Georgians and it is time Georgia had a Senator who takes public safety seriously.”
Read the full storyKemp Targets Abrams as David Ralston Calls on MLB Commissioner to Award Future All-Star Game to Atlanta
As Governor Brian Kemp (R) called out Stacey Abrams on Tuesday for her role in the removal of the 2021 MLB All-Star Game from Atlanta, the state’s speaker of the house pressed the commissioner of baseball for answers.
“Last year, Stacey Abrams pressured MLB to move the All-Star Game out of Georgia. After costing Georgia businesses $100 MILLION in lost revenue, imagine the damage Abrams would cause to our economy if she’s elected governor,” Governor Kemp said on Tuesday.
Read the full storyCommentary: The 25th Amendment Won’t Fix Our Biden Problem
Despite widespread concern about his cognitive health, President Biden won’t be removed from office pursuant to the 25th Amendment. It would require an unlikely display of integrity from his Vice President and Cabinet, plus an implausible level of bipartisanship in Congress. Moreover, the claims of politicians and pundits aside, the involuntary ouster of an unfit president isn’t the purpose of the amendment. Its principal function is to guarantee that the executive branch of the government is at all times led by an official who is conscious and able to communicate. Thus, the first 3 of its 4 sections focus on keeping the presidency continuously occupied.
Read the full storyCaller Carl Weighs in on Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Future, Olympic Comments, and the NFL Racial Discrimination Lawsuit
Friday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed regular listener and caller Carl to the newsmakers line to weigh in on the fate of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, her Olympic statements, and the NFL racial discrimination lawsuit.
Read the full storyCongressman Tim Burchett on Build Back Broke Bill and the Future Speaker of the House
Friday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed Congressman Tim Burchett to the newsmakers line to discuss the Build Back Better build and the future Speaker of the House.
Read the full storyAll Star Panelist Roger Simon Weighs in on Liz Cheney and the Defense of Her Father’s Legacy
Thursday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed all-star panelist Roger Simon in studio who discussed Liz Cheney’s siding with Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the protection of her father’s legacy.
Read the full storyBeth Harwell on Career as Speaker, Illegal Immigration, and Cultivating Pride of America
Thursday morning on the Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed Former Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell in studio to discuss her career and the importance of teaching our future generations to love their country.
Read the full story