What's New
Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky on Sunday appeared to backpedal on his suggestion that Elon Musk could take over as the House Speaker, calling the suggestion "tongue in cheek."
Why It Matters
House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana had difficulty wrangling a spending bill to help avert a government shutdown, only managing to pass a bipartisan bill with mere hours ahead of the deadline.
One of the complicating factors that he could not have foreseen was the one-two punch of Musk flexing his political muscle and the simultaneous a loss of confidence from his party as Republicans heavily criticized his ability to secure a deal. Many questioned if he should remain in his post.
Paul helped popularize the suggestion that Elon Musk could take over as House Speaker, writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, "The Speaker of the House need not be a member of Congress ... Nothing would disrupt the swamp more than electing Elon Musk."
"Think about it ... nothing's impossible. (not to mention the joy at seeing the collective establishment, aka 'uniparty,' lose their ever-lovin' minds)," Paul wrote.
Republicans have not eased back on criticizing Johnson even after he secured the bill – the third version proposed in as many days – and some, such as Representative Majorie Taylor Greene of Colorado, continued to echo the suggestion that Musk take the role if offered.
Johnson referenced the issue when he briefed reporters after passing his bill, telling them he spoke with Musk and even asked if he would be interested in the role of speaker, to which he claimed that Musk said it was "the hardest job."
What to Know
Paul appeared on Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Batiromo and reiterated his disappointment with Johnson, calling for a "speaker with a spine."
However, when Fox News host Maria Bartiromo pressed him on his post and the suggestion of Musk as speaker, Paul pulled back and said the idea was offered "a little tongue in cheek."
"I think Elon's got some important stuff to do, building rockets and making Teslas, but I do appreciate his input, and he has changed the debate," Paul said. "He's drawing attention to the things I've been talking about for a decade, the waste."
When pressed about whether he would support Johnson as speaker, Rand noted that as a Senator, he has no vote and therefore little say in who the House of Representatives chooses as speaker. He instead suggested that it's "good to mix it up and let them know we are not happy with the job they're doing."
"If we had a speaker with a spine who put forward a budget and a plan to cut spending over a five-year period to balance a budget, I'll vote to raise the debt ceiling, because you still have to add debt during that five years," he said earlier in the interview.
What People Are Saying
House Speaker Mike Johnson on Friday told reporters: "Elon Musk and I talked about an hour ago. We talked about the extraordinary challenges of this job. I said, 'Hey, you wanna be Speaker of the House? I don't know.' He said this may be the hardest job in the world. I think it is"
Journalist Yashar Alion X wrote: "BTW, since Elon Musk is so invested in everything happening in Congress, he could be Speaker. One does not need to be a member of the House to be elected Speaker."
Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah during an appearance on The Benny Show said that he would back Musk or Vivek Ramaswamy as Speaker "100 percent" because it "would revolutionize everything... it would break up the firm. We'd have a government of, by and for the people rather than this cartel."
What Happens Next
Johnson has mere weeks to make his case to the rest of the party and the House that he is still the best man to hold the job as speaker.
Should a contest open up in January, as Republicans seek a candidate who can help push through President-elect Donald Trump's agenda, the House will need to pick a new candidate, which 2023 showed could be a truly problematic endeavor.
NBC News reported that the search to find a speaker in October last year took nearly 22 days, leaving the House without a leader to help shape agenda and effectively stalling business for weeks.
Possible candidates, thanks to Rand's suggestion that Musk take up the role, has opened the possibility to non-elected figures such as Vivek Ramaswamy. Even those who are more traditional options, such as Majority House Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota, would face an uphill battle since Trump has already opposed them in past contests.
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