A representative-elect from North Texas was one of the Republicans who voted against Kevin McCarthy for speaker of the House on Tuesday.
Marking a historic occasion, the 118th Congress ended its first day in session without electing a speaker, as previously reported by The Dallas Express. A speaker has yet to be elected because 20 Republicans refuse to vote for McCarthy (R-CA).
One of those dissenters is Rep.-elect Keith Self, who was elected in November to represent Texas’ third congressional district. He voted for Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) in all three of Tuesday’s voting rounds.
“I voted for my district,” Self told WFAA. “The majority of my constituents have voiced their concerns about one — the Speaker of the House, but even more so, they want change.”
Self is the former county judge of Collin County. He was elected in November to represent a district encompassing Collin and Hunt counties.
“As I saw the process develop, I realized some of the more moderate Republicans have made concessions — that’s their word, not mine — concessions in order to get Kevin (McCarthy) across the line,” he said.
“I don’t see them as actually believing in the rules,” he explained. “If the majority of the majority doesn’t believe in the rules we’ve established, I’m not certain they’ll be enforced.”
“What I actually heard was — if you don’t vote for Kevin, some of these rules will go away,” he continued. “That’s not encouraging to me.”
“The reason I voted for Jim Jordan is because I believe he’s the man with the vision,” Self said. “He’s the man with the charisma; he’s the man with the plan for this Congress going forward.”
Self said he has no concern about the GOP appearing divided, asserting, “This is what the House should look like.”
“This is the people’s House,” he continued. “They sent me here to do the people’s work on the floor of the people’s house, and that’s what we did today.”
However, Self has admitted he is uncertain Jordan can actually win the speakership and said he might be persuaded to change his vote if his Republican colleagues prove they are committed to enforcing the rules.
Chip Roy, the U.S. representative for Texas’ 21st district, and Michael McCloud, the representative for Texas’ 27th district, were also among the Republicans to vote for Jim Jordan.
On Wednesday, Rep.-elect Self, Reps. Roy and McCloud, and 17 other McCarthy detractors had switched their vote to Byron Donalds, a representative from Florida beginning his second term in the House. After six ballots, a new speaker has yet to be elected.