House Republicans don't want a repeat of January's 15-round vote to pick a new speaker, so this time, they must caucus to decide who will get their vote, Rep. Jeff Van Drew, who said he believes the decision can be reached that way in just one round, told Newsmax on Thursday.
"We're not just going to go right out onto the floor and go through all these internal machinations, the New Jersey Republican said on "Wake Up America." "We're going to have this process, and then we're going to go to the floor, and then we're going to elect a speaker in, I believe, one round."
Van Drew pointed out that he's often asked about the differences between the Democrat and Republican caucuses, and he believes the difference is that Republicans have "an end game."
"Their desire is to change the United States of America as we know it, and their end game is always to win, and Republicans need to do that, too," said Van Drew." We have to win."
That means a unified decision on the next speaker, said Van Drew, who also told Newsmax on Thursday that he backs Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, for the job.
"I think he would do a great job, and I'm focused on helping him, but if it is somebody else, I will support them as well once we decide in caucus, and we have our election in caucus," said Van Drew.
The congressman said he does believe the other main contender for speaker, Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., is a "good man," but he said Jordan is the better choice.
"I've worked with Jim Jordan a great deal on the Judiciary Committee," said Van Drew. "He's smart, he's fast, he's a real bulldog."
Further, Jordan's push has led to "everything that we know about all that has happened with the FBI, all that has happened with the Department of Justice, and the attorney general," said Van Drew. "All of the issues that we have found out, which are unbelievably disturbing, have been because of Jim Jordan's focus, his energy, and his drive."
Van Drew also acknowledged that House Republicans must work to end their divisions, but pointed out that 98% of Republicans voted to keep ousted House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, with just eight in the party and Democrats voting to remove him from the speaker's seat.
"We are pretty united, and we are strong, but we have to make sure that we even get a little stronger," he said.
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Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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