During the Wednesday huddle in the office of whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), moderates Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), David Joyce (Ohio) and Dusty Johnson (S.D.) met with holdouts Chip Roy (Tex.), Donalds and Scott Perry (Pa.), with Emmer, McCarthy and Jim Jordan (Ohio) also on hand.
According to sources familiar with the meeting, the small gathering became a therapy session of sorts as members opened up about the deep frustration that led them to air their grievances publicly in a contentious closed-door conference Tuesday.
House Democrats, meanwhile, remained united behind caucus leader Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.), who received 212 votes on all 11 ballots. When Dan Bishop (R-N.C.) nominated Donalds again for speaker, he told the chamber, “Yesterday we could have elected the first Black speaker of the House.” Democrats responded with a standing ovation and chants of “Ha-Keem! Ha-Keem!”
really love the absolutely BONKERS energy happening here