The election of the new Speaker really revolves more around styles of governance than personalities, given the current composition of the House. The choices are as follows:
- MCCARTHY, PART DEUX: Provide lots of meaningless raw meat to the right, make innumerable promises to both sides that you know you can’t keep, and ultimately rely on the Democrats to keep the government running. You don’t actually have to be McCarthy to use these tactics. It works for awhile, until everyone figures it out.
- A GENUINE BIPARTISAN MODERATE COALITION: Moderates of both parties combine to pick a fairly rational Republican.
- THE MODERATES SURRENDER: One of the two current candidates ultimately persuades the moderates that they have an overriding obligation to serve as lobby fodder for the far right, even if it means putting their seats at risk, in order to preserve party unity and stick it to the left.
The least likely alternative, alas, is #2. The most likely choice is #1.