Rule Vote Failures Are Big Warning Sign for GOP

Politico: “This House is the first one in modern history to have six rule votes — three under former Speaker Kevin McCarthy and three under Speaker Mike Johnson — tanked in one Congress. Before last year, a rule vote hadn’t failed in two decades.”

Said House Rules Committee Chair Tom Cole (R-OK): “It’s unfortunate. Look, rules not passing weakens the majority. The rule is designed to maximize the chance of passing something on the floor that the majority wants to do, not to be used as a weapon by one group against another group.”

“And the latest failure had a bright red warning sign for Johnson. There were a few non-conservatives who voted against the rule because they didn’t support the underlying legislation. That means the rebellious behavior of the existing rabble-rousers is spreading, at least in part because Johnson and McCarthy rewarded the behavior they wanted to exterminate.”