Hakeem Jeffries: Democrats Ready and Willing to Collaborate with GOP on Speaker of the House Vote

House Democrats are in informal talks with Republicans about finding a bipartisan solution to selecting a new speaker.

House Democrats and Republicans are engaging in informal talks to find a bipartisan solution to the ongoing search for a new speaker, according to Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. In an interview on NBC's Meet the Press, Jeffries expressed the Democrats' readiness and willingness to reach a resolution. He mentioned that informal conversations have already begun and emphasized the importance of formalizing them upon returning to Washington. The House has been without a speaker since a group of conservative Republicans initiated a vote to remove Speaker Kevin McCarthy on October 3. While Representative Jim Jordan is currently the frontrunner for the position, several moderate Republicans, including Alabama's Rep. Mike Rogers, have stated their refusal to support him. Jeffries clarified that Democrats are not making any demands during the talks but expressed their desire to change House rules so that bills with bipartisan support can be voted on. The goal is to prevent extremists from dictating the agenda. Representative Mike Turner, an Ohio Republican who voted against ousting McCarthy, criticized the Democrats for missing an opportunity for bipartisanship during the previous vote. He stated that it would be challenging to return to bipartisanship after rejecting it initially.

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