Gohmert For Broke

It wouldn't be a year in American politics without Texas GOP Rep. Louie Gohmert doing something amazingly stupid, and this year it's gunning for Orange Juliuis's job as Speaker of the House.

According to Gohmert, the voters made it clear in 2014 that they want leadership changes.

"There have been numerous examples of problematic Republican leadership, but we were hopeful our leaders got the voters’ message," he said. "However, after our speaker forced through the CRomnibus by passing it with Democratic votes and without time to read it, it seemed clear that we needed new leadership. There had been much discussion."

Later on Sunday, Gohmert issued a statement announcing his intention to run for speaker and explaining that he was inspired to run when his colleague Rep. Ted Yoho (R-FL) decided to run for speaker.

Gohmert assured that a crowded GOP field for speaker would not hurt the Republican party.

"There is false information being floated that any Republican candidates in addition to the current Speaker will split the vote and give the Speaker's gavel to Congresswoman Pelosi. This is nothing but a scare tactic to keep the current regime in power," he said in the statement. "As long as Republicans vote for an adult American citizen for Speaker, no Democrat can win."

"At this point, the Speaker’s election is not about a particular candidate. It is about whether we keep the status quo or make the change the country demands. I am putting forward my name for consideration as Speaker and hope that with a new Speaker, be that me or someone else, we can fight for the ideals and principles that the voters wanted when they elected us in November," Gohmert concluded.

Anybody But Boehner, it seems.  But can Ted Yoho or Louie Gohmert or anyone else get enough votes to beat Boehner?  I seriously doubt it.

But it'll be fun to watch. Even my own member of Congress, Rand Paul Jr. Tom Massie, is in the Anybody But Boehner camp.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) announced on Saturday that he would not be voting for John Boehner (R-Ohio) to return as House speaker once the new Congress convenes.

“For years I watched Washington from afar and suspected that something was broken,” he said in a press release. ”During my first two years as a congressman I discovered a significant source of the dysfunction. I watched the House Leadership.”

He's right about that, actually.  Should be a fun January.