A former secretary of defense and a former congressional staff director called for the next Congress to choose a House speaker who is not serving in the chamber.
Former Secretary of Defense William Cohen and former Senate staff director Alton Frye, both moderates, wrote a New York Times opinion column on Thursday to express their thoughts on how the House can find a speaker to "define common ground in the political center."
"It may come as a surprise to many Americans to learn that the Constitution does not require the House speaker to be a member of the House," the column began. "The Constitution provides for election of a speaker but does not require House membership to serve in that position.
"That's because the office was not conceived as a partisan agent, but rather as one serving the whole House and, in that role, the entire nation."
Cohen and Frye said that while it "might seem extreme or fanciful" to go outside the House for the next speaker, it makes sense for the 118th Congress.
"The severe partisan divisions within the next House of Representatives make it impossible to choose a member who could genuinely serve the general interest of the nation," they said in the column.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy appears to be in line to become the next speaker after Republicans won the chamber's majority in the November midterm elections.
However, five conservatives have said or indicated they won't back McCarthy. With a slim 222-213 majority, he can't afford to lose the support of many Republicans.
Some Donald Trump supporters have suggested the former president serve as speaker.
Trump told conservative radio talk show host Wayne Allyn Root last year that the idea of becoming speaker was "very interesting."
Trump since has said he backs McCarthy.
Cohen, a Republican who served under Democrat President Bill Clinton, and Frye, who worked for Senate Republicans and Democrats, argues that even if McCarthy prevails in Tuesday's vote, "he will be captive to a GOP fringe similar to the one that hampered the speakerships of Paul Ryan and John Boehner.
"Moreover, Mr. McCarthy's animus and hostility to cooperating with Democrats doom the prospect of meaningful bipartisanship."
McCarthy isn't the only reason Cohen and Frye wrote their column.
"The sad fact is that the Republican caucus is dominated by campaigns and commitments that gravely encumber efforts to define common ground in the political center," they wrote. "That judgment is fortified by recognition that years of rancorous cross-aisle politics have soured so many relationships that one cannot expect a truly fresh start from within the House itself."
Cohen and Frye also urged for "a secret ballot for speaker that would free individual members — primarily Republicans, but also some Democrats — to vote for such a candidate without fearing reprisal in a future party primary."
They mentioned former Ohio Republican Gov. John Kasich, retiring Michigan Republican Rep. Fred Upton, and outgoing Maryland Republican Gov. Larry Hogan as possible speaker candidates interested in working "toward meaningful coalition building."
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