WikiLeaks Document Release http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL30857 February 2, 2009

Congressional Research Service Report RL30857 Speakers of the House: Elections, 1913-2007 Richard S. Beth and James V. Saturno, Government and Finance Division

January 29, 2007

Abstract. This report sets forth the number of votes for Speaker of the House of Representatives received by all candidates in each year since 1913, when the House first reached its present size. Procedures for regular and special elections of the Speaker are discussed, and instances are highlighted in which either: (1) candidates other than the major party nominees received votes, or (2) the vote for the winning candidate was less than a majority of the full membership. http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL30857 &3:&7>=,3`=,**1= *(9.43=*8*&7(-=&3&,*7= &2*8=_= &9:734= 5*(.&1.89=43=9-*=43,7*88=&3)=*,.81&9.;*=74(*88= .(-&7)= _= *9-= 5*&0*78=4+=9-*=4:8*a=1*(9.438`=+3+-8,**1= Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress =*5479=+47=43,7*88

43,7*88.43&1= *8*&7(-=*7;.(*= <<<_(78_,4;= -*2/1= 18 /1**= = http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL30857 In fourofthe six elections since 1997 (105 national level. representing theculmination ofthe establishment of an exclusively two-party system atthe through 1995, only thenominated Republican andDemocratic candidates received votes, Congresses, their names were formally placed in nomination onbehalf of that group. From 1943 “progressive” group (reformers originally associated with the Republican party), andin some those of the two major parties. The candidates in question were usually those representing the From 1913through 1943,it usually happened that some Members voted for candidates other than before aSpeaker was elected. Since 1913, this procedure has been necessary only in 1923, whennine ballots were required If nocandidate receives the requisite majority, the roll call is repeated until a Speaker iselected. outset of aCongress. new Speaker by resolution; in the more recent two, the body usedthe same procedure as at the such elections have been necessary since 1913. In theearlier two cases, the House elected the If aSpeaker dies or resigns during aCongress, membership. Congresses), aSpeaker was elected four times with the votes of less than a majority ofthe full 43,7*88.43&1= *8*&7(-=*7;.(*= House first reached its present size of 435 Members. During that period (63 This report provides data on elections of the Speaker in eachCongress since 1913, whenthe “present.” of the full membership of the House, because of vacancies, absentees, or Members voting majority of all the votes cast for individuals. This number may beless than amajority (now218) individual, whether nominated or not. To be elected, a candidate must receive anabsolute Members normally vote for thecandidate of th conference of each major party nominates a candidate whose name isplaced in nomination. Each newHouse elects a Speaker by roll call vote when it first convenes. Customarily, the :22&7>= = The report will be updated as additional elections for Speaker occur. taken for granted that voting forSpeaker was demonstrative of party affiliation in the House. with one major party voted for the nominee of the other. Until then, House practice hadlong does not so require, the Speaker has always been a Member. Further, in 2001, a Member affiliated voted1997 forcandidatesnotwere thenMemb who voted for Members of their own party other than the party nominees. Also, some Members in th , 107 the House immediately elects a new one.Four eir own party conference, but mayvote for any th -109 ers of the House. Although the Constitution th Congresses), however, some Members 5*&0*78=4+=9-*= 4:8*a=1*(9.438`=+3+-8,**1= rd through 110 through th

http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL30857 43,7*88.43&1= *8*&7(-=*7;.(*= Author Contact 439&(98= Table 1.Individuals Receiving &'1*8= Third and AdditionalCandidates...... Size ofthe House and Majo Regular and Special Elec 439*398= = Informa in...... tion tions of th iyRqie oEet...... 1 ...... rity Required to Elect Votes for Speake pae...... 1 e Speaker...... ,11-07...... 4 r, 1913-2007...... 5*&0*78=4+=9-*= 4:8*a=1*(9.438`=+3+-8,**1= ... 7 ...... 2 .....

http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL30857 voting fora candidate. During theperiod examined, this kind of result has occurred four times: membership, because some Members either are not pr receive amajority of the votes cast, and beelected, while failing to obtain a majority ofthe full 43,7*88.43&1= *8*&7(-=*7;.(*= 1 majority of “the total number of votes cast for aperson by name.” House (218, in aHouse of 435) is not required. Precedents emphasize that the requirement is for a present and voting isrequired inorder to elect aSpeaker. A majority of the full membership of the By practice of the House going back toits earliest days, anabsolute majority ofthe Members reapportionment of Representatives following the 1960 census. for a brief period between the admission of Alaska and Hawaii (in 1958 and 1959) andthe Mexico as the 47 set at 435 Members. This period corresponds to that since the admission of andNew The data presented here cover theperiod during which thepermanent size of the House has been .?*=4+=9-*=4:8*=&3)=&/47.9>=*6:.7*)=94=1*(9= Speaker. Such elections have occurred four times during theperiod examined: also those held during thecourse of a Congress as a result of the death or resignation ofa sitting Included in the table are not only the elections held regularly at the outset of each Congress, but for individuals not formally nominated. cast for the nominees of the twomajor parties, for other candidates nominated from thefloor, and in each Congress from 1913(63 1 Table this vote in effect establishes which party has the majority, and therefore will organize theHouse. Members vote for the candidate nominated by their own party conference, since the outcome of Members mayvote for one of these nominated candidates or for another individual. Usually, House selects acandidate whose name is formally placed in nomination before the roll call. after a general election of Representatives. Customarily, the conference of each major party inthe The traditional practice of the House is to elect a Speaker by roll call vote upon first convening *,:1&7=&3)=5*(.&1=1*(9.438=4+=9-*=5*&0*7= call vote. On the more recent two, the same procedure was followed as at the start of aCongress. On the two earlier occasions among these four, the election was by resolution rather than by roll = The Clerk, “Parliamentary Inquiry,” remarksfrom the chair, • • • • •

presents data on the votes cast for candidates for Speaker of the House of Representatives in 1917 (65 in 1936 (74 in 1989 (101 in 1962 (87 in 1940 (76 th and48 th th th th Congress), “Champ” Clark (D-MO) Congress) upon thedeath of Speaker (D-TX); and Congress) upon thedeath of Speaker William Bankhead (D-AL); Congress) upon thedeath of Speaker Joseph Byrns (D-TN); st Congress) upon the resignation of Speaker (D-TX). th States in 1912. The actual size ofthe House was 436, and then 437, rd

Congress) through 2007 (110 Congressional Record esentvote,vote to or “present” rather than waselected with 217votes; 5*&0*78=4+=9-*= 4:8*a=1*(9.438`=+3+-8,**1= th Congress). It shows thevotes 1 Acandidate forSpeakermay , vol., 143,Jan. 7,1997, p.117. += http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL30857 examined, only onceduring that period did the House fail to elect on the first roll call. Because of the predominance of the two established national parties throughout the period as that the lowest candidate oneach ballot must drop out, or that no newcandidate may enter. ballots, Members may still vote for any individual; no restrictions have ever been imposed, such If nocandidate obtains the requisite majority, theroll call is repeated. On these subsequent otherwise by law. provided Congress previous the unless year, that December of until convene not did and year, following the of March Amendment took effect in1936. Until that time, a Congress elected in one November didnot begin its term until majority of the election; it therefore cannot showwhether or not any Speaker may have beenelected lacking a does not take into account the number ofvacancies existing inthe House at the time ofthe of (later Vice President), received 218 votes, a bare majority of the membership. The table eebr5 1 17 2 4 3 3 3 2 3 5 3 5 3 5 3 0 5 17 5 17 5 17 6 197 17 198 17 198 17 197 17 197 215 196 197 196 196 43,7*88.43&1= *8*&7(-=*7;.(*= 194 195 197 197 195 9 December 194 5 8 December 4 7 December 4 6 December 4 5 December 4 4 December 3 3 December 3 2 December 3 4 3 2 The opening of the 105 -.7)=&3)= )).9.43&1= &3).)&9*8= characterized the entire period since World War II, andtheentire period of the “modern than the two major party candidates received votes for Speaker. Exclusively two-party voting had membership. ultimately elected, although (asnoted earlier) still with less than amajority of the full accept a number ofprocedural reforms favored by the progressives. Thus the Republican was Republican candidate only on the ninth ballot, after the Republican leadership had agreed to from the“progressive” wing oftheRepublican Party. Progressives agreed to vote for the majority because of votes cast for other candidates by Members from theProgressive Party, or Also, in 1931 (72 Also, in = eebr3 93 9 15 7 4 5 17 Present Madden 195 Cooper Garrett (D) 197 Gillett (R) 1 December 3,1923 Ballot and Date aspronounced. it accompanying discipline the nor established, asthoroughly become not (68 Full results werefollows: as This occurrence, however, was more common before the period covered inthis report, when the two-party system had 20 the before more was common convened first a when new House point the at vacancies of existence The th • • • Congress), in aclosely divided House,both major party nominees initially failed togain a

in 1997 (105 in 1943 (78 in 1923 (68 4

then qualified nd Congress), the candidate of the new Democratic majority, John NanceGarner th th Congress), Sam (D-TX) Rayburn was elected with 217 votes; and Congress), Frederick Gillett (R-MA) waselected with 215votes; th Congress), NewtGingrich (R-GA) waselected with 216 votes. th Congress in 1997 marked the first time since 1943 that anyone other membership House. ofthe

2

5*&0*78=4+=9-*= 4:8*a=1*(9.438`=+3+-8,**1= 3 In 1923 th

,= http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL30857 committee assignments. the Member in question voted did not formally expel him, butdeclined to provide him with Subsequently, inorganizing for that Congress (the 107 majority andminority status, but also of which Members each of these parties is composed. that the vote for Speaker determines, or at least demonstrates, not only whichparties command occurred at least for the previous half century. Rather, House practice had long taken for granted eachfor candidate, examinationof other available records confirmshadno suchactionthat the other. Although the table below does not indicate the party affiliation of the Members voting Finally, in2001, a Member who bore the designation of onemajor party voted for the nominee of entire history ofthe House. votes for individuals other than Members tobe Speaker hadever previously been cast in the officer of either chamber) to bea Member, hehas always beenso, and it is not known that any of the House at the time. Although the Constitu The 1997ballot wasalso notable because votes were cast for candidates whowere not Members and events, however, rather than established factions or even identifiable political groupings. voting forSpeaker. Votes cast for other candidates in these years reflected specific circumstances was not that party’s official nominee. These events may indicate the emergence of anewperiod in In 1997,2001,2003,and 2005 at least one Member voted for a member of their own party who establishment of a two-party system atthenational level. Republican label. The demise of this movement inthe House represented the final stage in the appeared in 1937 (75 receiving votes chose to designate themselves. The last formal Progressive Party nominee Party. So does the pattern of shifts in the party labels by whichthese nominees and others themselves in the House as a separate Progressive Party caucusor as a wing of the Republican views ofMembers identifying themselves as“progressives” about whether to constitute The pattern of occurrence of additional nominations (displayed in the table) reflects changing represent an expression of progressive sentiments. movement, andthe votes cast for Members other than the major party nominees also generally the progressive movement. The additional nominations wereoffered in the name of that nominated. These events reflect chiefly theinfluence in Congress, during those three decades, of occasions, candidates for Speaker, in addition to those of the two major parties, were formally 43,7*88.43&1= *8*&7(-=*7;.(*= Congress,” usually reckoned from the implementation in 1947 (80 and beginning in1947 (80 Members representing the Progressive Party were reduced to voting for each other for Speaker, Congresses (63 Earlier, however, the presence ofvotes for other candidates wasnormal, occurring in11 of the 16 Reorganization Act of 1946 (P.L. 79-601, 60Stat. 812). = rd through 78 th Congress). After defeats in the following election, the only tworemaining th Congress), last the standard bearer ofthetendency acceptedthe th ) thatconvened from 1913through 1943.Onseven of those 11 tion does not require the Speaker (or any other th ), theparty caucus against whose nominee 5*&0*78=4+=9-*= 4:8*a=1*(9.438`=+3+-8,**1= th Congress) Legislative ofthe -= 91 etadH nl N) 207 BertrandH.Snell(NY) 1931 1929 1927 1925 93(is alt FeeikH ilt M) 9 FnsJ art T) 9 *HenryA.Cooper(R-WI) 195 FinisJ.Garrett(TN) 197 (ninth ballot) FrederickH.Gillett(MA) 1923 (first ballot) 1921 1941 195 111 JamesR.Mann (NY) JamesR.Mann (NY) 1919 JamesR.Mann (NY) 1917 1915 1913 Year 8.= 99 oehW atn(A 168 83 JosephW.Martin (MA) BertrandH.Snell(NY) 1940 (Sept.16) 1939 1937 93 etadH nl N) 110 BertrandH.Snell(NY) 1933 95 etadH nl N) 95 BertrandH.Snell(NY) 1935 1936 (June 4) a

a

Nicholas Longworth Nicholas Longworth Frederick H. Gillett Frederick H.Gillett Frederick H. Gillett Frederick H.Gillett oehW atn(A 159 Joseph W.Martin (MA) Votes OthersReceivingVotes Votes Frederick H.Gillett Democratic Nominee Votes Republican Nominee

http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL30857 (MA) (MA) (MA) (OH) (OH) (OH) Table 1

. Individuals Receiving Votes for Speaker, 1913-2007 5 Jh .Gre T) 4 13 143 *Henry A.Cooper(R-WI) 187 173 JohnN. Garner (TX) 254 FinisJ.Garrett(TN) 225 FinisJ.Garrett(TN) 229 1 FnsJ art T) 9 *Mri .Mde RI) 2 *Martin B.Madden(R-IL) 197 FinisJ.Garrett(TN) 215 9 Cad ici N) 2 122 ClaudeKitchin (NC) 297 2 JmsB “hm” lr M) 7 172 JamesB.(“Champ”) Clark(MO) 228 205 John N.Garner Sam Rayburn William B.Bankhead James B.(“Champ”)Clark James B.(“Champ”)Clark James B.(“Champ”)Clark (H.Res. Sam Rayburn William B.Bankhead William B.Bankhead Henry T.Rainey Joseph W.Byrns

602) b

(TX) (TX) (TX) (IL) (TN)

(AL) (H.Res. 543) (AL) (H.Res. (AL) (AL)

(MO) (MO) (MO)

b

oc oe voice vote oc oe voice vote 4 MerlinHull(P-WI) 247 IrvineL.Lenroot (R-WI) 217 222 272 4 MerlinHull(P-WI) 249 *GeorgeJ.Schneider(P-WI) 324 1 ereJ cnie RW) 5 GeorgeJ.Schneider (R-WI) 218 302 1 *GeorgeJ.Schneider(P-WI) 317 * MartinB.Madden(R-IL) Bernard J.Gehrmann (P-WI) Frederick H.Gillett(R-MA) John M. Nelson (R-WI) Henry A.Cooper(R-WI) * VictorMurdock(P-KS) Bernard J.Gehrmann (P-WI) Fred L.Crawford(R-MI) alJ vl FLM) 5 * PaulJ.Kvale(F-L-MN) W.P. Lambertson(R-KS) 17 18 10 5 1 2 2 2 1 4 1 1 2 2 9 = 91 eadR od(I 176 187 186 139 GeraldR.Ford(MI) GeraldR.Ford(MI) 175 GeraldR.Ford(MI) GeraldR.Ford(MI) 1971 CharlesA.Halleck(IN) 1969 1967 1965 1963 91 hre .Hlek(N 170 Votes 199 CharlesA.Halleck(IN) 198 OthersReceivingVotes Votes JosephW.Martin (MA) 193 1962 (Jan. 10) JosephW.Martin (MA) 160 1961 1959 JosephW.Martin (MA) 168 1957 JosephW.Martin (MA) 206 1955 1953 DemocraticNominee JosephW.Martin (MA) Votes 1951 JosephW.Martin (MA) 1949 1947 RepublicanNominee 1945 1943 Year 8/= 93 eadR od(I 188 GeraldR.Ford(MI) 1973 1975 97 onJ hds(Z 142 JohnJ.Rhodes(AZ) 1977 99 onJ hds(Z 152 JohnJ.Rhodes(AZ) 1979 1981 93 oetH ihl(L 155 RobertH.Michel(IL) 1983 95 oetH ihl(L 175 RobertH.Michel(IL) 1985 97 oetH ihl(L 173 Robert H.Michel(IL) 1987 99 oetH ihl(L 170 Robert H.Michel(IL) 1989 1989 (June 6) a a

hre .Hlek(N 166 Charles A.Halleck(IN) oetH ihl(L 164 Robert H.Michel (IL) 148 Charles A.Halleck(IN) Joseph W.Martin Joseph W.Martin onJ hds(Z 143 John J.Rhodes(AZ) oetH ihl(L 183 Robert H.Michel(IL)

http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL30857 (MA) (MA)

2 SmRyun(X 0 201 182 SamRayburn (TX) 220 SamRayburn (TX) 244 Carl B.Albert McCormackJohn W. McCormackJohn W. McCormackJohn W. McCormackJohn W. McCormackJohn W. Thomas S.Foley Sam Rayburn Sam Rayburn Sam Rayburn Sam Rayburn Sam Rayburn Sam Rayburn Sam Rayburn Sam Rayburn ( Carl B.Albert Carl B.Albert Thomas P.(“Tip”)O’Neill Thomas P.(“Tip”)O’Neill Thomas P.(“Tip”)O’Neill Thomas P.(“Tip”)O’Neill Thomas P.(“Tip”)O’Neill Jim Wright Jim Wright (X 24 254 (TX) (X 23 253 (TX) (X 21 281 (TX) (TX) 258 (TX) (TX) (TX) (TX) (TX) (K 5 250 (OK) (K 27 287 (OK) (OK) 236 TX)

(WA) 251

(A 4 241 246 289 256 (MA) (MA) (MA) (MA) (MA) 248 (A 20 290 (MA) (A 28 268 (MA) (A 23 233 (MA) (A 20 260 (MA) (A 27 247 (MA) 2 227 228 231 255 224 MerlinHull(P-WI) 217 Harry Sauthoff (P-WI) 1 1 = 07 onA ohe O) 202 Votes JohnA.Boehner (OH) OthersReceivingVotes Votes 2007 2005 174 2003 165 2001 DemocraticNominee 1999 Votes RobertH.Michel(IL) RobertH.Michel(IL) 1997 RepublicanNominee 1995 1993 1991 Year 80= Source: c. b. a. Notes: Party designationsof“other”candidates: R=Republican,PProgressive,F-LFarmer-Labor * =“Other” candidate’snameformally placed innomination. Elected candidatein Key: respective years.

Not aMember ofthe House atthe time. Elected byresolution, notbyrollcallfromnominations. avacancyintheSpeakershipSpecial electiontofill caused bydeath orresignation.

Journals

of the House of Representatives (for2003-2007, J. DennisHastert J. DennisHastert J. DennisHastert J. DennisHastert Newt Gingrich bold

http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL30857. (GA) (GA) (IL) (IL) (IL) (IL)

1 RcadA ehrt(O 25 JamesLeach (R-IA) 205 Richard A.Gephardt (MO) 216 2 RcadA ehrt(O 25 1 1 John P.Murtha (D-PA) 1 John P.Murtha (D-PA) 199 201 JohnP.Murtha (D-PA) 206 205 NancyPelosi(CA) 226 NancyPelosi(CA) 228 RichardA.Gephardt (MO) 222 RichardA.Gephardt (MO) 220 2 RcadA ehrt(O 22 202 Richard A.Gephardt (MO) 228 Thomas S.Foley Thomas S.Foley Congressional Record

(CA) 233 (A 25 255 262 (WA) (WA) , daily edition). Partydesignationsaretakenfrom, dailyedition). the Robert H.Michel Robert Walker Congressional Directory c

c for the 1 1 2 = http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL30857 43,7*88.43&1= *8*&7(-=*7;.(*= [email protected], 7-8667 Specialist Legislative on Congress and the Process Richard S.Beth :9-47= 439&(9= 3+472&9.43= =

[email protected] Section Research Manager James V. Saturno 5*&0*78=4+=9-*= 4:8*a=1*(9.438`=+3+-8,**1= , 7-2381 1=