Mooney frustrated with House speaker vote
Trending
WHEELING -- U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney thinks U.S. House members should be spending the weekend in Washington and deciding who will be the next House speaker.
The West Virginia Republican said he is frustrated by happenings within the GOP caucus to select a speaker candidate "who has the votes on the House floor." He noted he and "about 90%" of the caucus were firmly behind choosing Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, as speaker.
But after a third vote on Jordan for speaker on Friday, even more Republicans rejected him for the position. Twenty-five Republicans voted for someone else on the third vote, up from 20 in the first vote and 22 in the second vote.
"Twenty to 25 of my colleagues are refusing to vote for Jim Jordan, and they can answer to their constituents," Mooney told the Sunday News-Register late Friday afternoon. "I thought I would explain to my constituents what is going on."
House members are set to come back today, and yet another intense discussion within the Republican caucus will follow.
"We will have an internal vote again to select a candidate for speaker, and we will pick one," Mooney said. "The key is, we have to pick someone who has the votes on the House floor and not just in caucus. That's a crucial element.
"I think we should stay here this weekend and do it. I disagree with (temporary speaker) Patrick McHenry's decision to come back Monday."
Mooney, whose 2nd Congressional District encompasses the northern part of the state and the Eastern Panhandle, said he supported Jordan for speaker "even before he was the nominee." Largely his support is based on the philosophy set forth in Jordan's book, "Do What You Said You Would Do: Fighting for Freedom in the Swamp."
"What I keep hearing from West Virginia voters is that as members of Congress is that we don't do what we say we will do," he continued. "They say we have not balanced the budget or secured the border, and the people are very frustrated."
Other than his first choice Jordan, Mooney said he does not have someone in mind to lead the House.
"Technically, the speaker doesn't have to be a member of the House," he added. "(Former) President Trump said he would do it, and he supported Jordan like I did. There is even talk of Newt Gingrich coming back.
"But that's unlikely. It's almost certain we will pick from among the 221 (Republican House members)."
Mooney is also a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in 2024.
This week, Trump endorsed his Republican opponent, current Gov. Jim Justice, for the office.
"I'm the only conservative in the race," Mooney said. "(Justice) should go back and run as a Democrat. He switched parties, and he is in the wrong party.
"I believe West Virginia will choose a conservative."
He noted that going forward he will just have to "make the case with voters" prior to the May 14 primary election in West Virginia.
"He is a tax-and-spend liberal," Mooney said of Justice. "He has raised the gas tax. ... He is trying to fool voters.
"Going forward, I am just going to point to the facts of his actual voting record."
Mooney, an ardent supporter of Trump, said he really wasn't all that surprised when Trump endorsed Justice this week.
"As the president has said in the past, he and Justice are friends, so I was not surprised," Mooney continued. "I disagree with that (the endorsement), but I still support Trump. I respect him, but I disagree with his choice in that regard."