Let the circular firing squad commence. They have to win the House first.
Washington, DC A whisper campaign is underway to promote U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn of Columbia as the next speaker of the House of Representatives.
Allies of the S.C. Democratic lawmaker, currently assistant House Democratic leader, say the conversations are still in the early stages. They add, however, there are real and active efforts to pitch the idea of Clyburn, the highest-ranking African-American lawmaker in Congress, as a so-called “bridge speaker” should Democrats retake the House’s majority in November and members decide to replace their current leader, California Democrat Nancy Pelosi.
For years, House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland quietly has sold himself as a Pelosi successor. He has told members he would step in for one or two terms as speaker as a “bridge” between the old guard and a new generation of leaders, promising to groom younger members and facilitate a transition of power.
But in the past few weeks, Clyburn’s name has been put forward as an alternative choice to Hoyer by lawmakers who either are bound by loyalty to Clyburn or think the election of the first black speaker would make for good optics — or both.
“You’d be making history,” said U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio, a supporter of the nascent Clyburn-for-speaker movement. “Now, you’d have a Southern Democrat who has a career of talking to people in the South about a progressive Democratic agenda. … And when you’re looking at a lot of congressional districts that we are trying to win, a high African-American turnout in these districts could make the difference. So he brings all of that.”
Pelosi is 78, Hoyer is 79 and Clyburn will turn 78 later this month. The trio have been the top three Democratic House leaders for more than a decade. Their long leadership tenure, many argue, has left few rank-and-file members with the institutional knowledge and fundraising prowess to succeed them.
In an interview with McClatchy, Clyburn acknowledged he had been approached about the idea of running for speaker. He said he didn’t foresee a scenario where he would run against Hoyer, who has support from more moderate House Democrats. But, he added, “Who knows?”
Clyburn was whip when Hoyer was Democratic majority leader the last time Democrats held the House majority under then-Speaker Pelosi. When Democrats lost the House’s majority in 2010, Hoyer and Clyburn were poised to compete for one of only two minority party leadership positions. However, it became clear Clyburn could not beat Hoyer, and Clyburn took on a newly created position as assistant leader.
It’s not yet clear whether the numbers would look any different this time around. But a senior Democratic aide familiar with discussions regarding Clyburn’s standing in a future leadership election told McClatchy, “Mr. Clyburn could serve in any position in leadership.”
Ultimately, Clyburn said he always has followed “the will of the Congressional Black Caucus,” a 48-member-strong organization of which 45 are House Democrats.
HT: Rufus