Jordan for Speaker isn’t happening. A temporary Speaker could break the deadlock

Recently, a disgruntled group of Republican House members teamed up with Democrats to oust Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from the speakership, citing his perceived failure to fulfill promises they had previously extracted from him. It has since become clear that the House GOP caucus is deeply divided about the way forward. 

Some, still smarting over what they regard as a treacherous betrayal of an effective Speaker and fundraiser, are demanding either a restoration of McCarthy or that one of his deputies become Speaker as a rebuke to the insurrectionists. Others, convinced that the Republican leadership bailed out the Biden administration by violating explicit agreements to follow regular order and not to kick the budget can down the road with yet another continuing resolution, are demanding the same commitments from anyone else seeking the Speaker’s chair.

Already, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) was forced to abandon his bid for the Speaker’s gavel. Now, Rep. Jim Jordan’s (R-Ohio) bid has evidently fizzled out as well. Jordan was poised overnight to lose more Republicans’ support between the first and second ballots, and that is what just happened on the House floor, as he came up with two fewer votes on Wednesday than he had on Tuesday.

It is apparent that the caucus needs to move on if it is to come together. And it must come together so that Congress can function, at least through the end of the year, for both political and national security reasons.

Crises are metastasizing both at home and around the globe. At stake are two escalating wars in Ukraine and Gaza, which are both threatening to explode into worldwide conflicts. With an important national election around the corner, Republicans cannot afford to be seen as consumed with petty rivalries at the expense of vital national interests.

Decisions about rules going forward can be deferred for a while as agreement is reached and consensus is forged within the caucus. What cannot wait, however, is the regular functioning of the federal government.

One simple solution would be to choose a temporary Speaker who pledges only to serve through the end of the year in order to make sure that our government — particularly our military — is funded, and that both our homeland and our crucial ally Israel are secure in this time of crisis.

Rep. Jack Bergman (R-Mich.) has been quietly approaching colleagues to put his name forward for the task. He is the perfect man for the job.

A retired U.S. Marine Corps lieutenant general, Bergman is widely respected on both sides of the aisle for his national security expertise and his broad knowledge of the appropriations process. He has a demonstrated ability to work across the aisle, including on one of the few pieces of recent legislation addressing cybersecurity to garner broad-based, bipartisan support.

It is telling that, of the 19 bills singed into law in this Congress, three were Bergman’s. His reputation for leadership, both in the military and in Congress, is impeccable. Most importantly, he is a perfect candidate for a temporary compromise — widely admired in both parties and not identified with any of the warring factions within the GOP caucus.

To restore confidence in government at this perilous moment, we need to resolve the current funding crisis, keep up support (with added oversight) for the Ukrainian fight against Russian domination, show unwavering support for Israel and band together as Americans to ensure that Congress is on guard to protect our vital national interests.

What we need now is a general as a wartime Speaker.

Rob Wasinger, a D.C.-based lobbyist, served as chief of staff for both a U.S. House member and a U.S. senator.