In January 2023, as House Republicans struggled to elect Kevin McCarthy as speaker, Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur of Ohio briefly considered breaking party ranks to cast the decisive vote that would have ended the prolonged deadlock. The episode, detailed in a recent book and confirmed by Kaptur in an interview, underscores the deep frustrations and political complexity surrounding McCarthy’s eventual rise to the speakership.
Following 14 unsuccessful ballots, McCarthy faced steadfast opposition from a small group of far-right Republican holdouts demanding concessions. According to the account by John Leganski, McCarthy’s former floor director, Rep. Michael R. Turner (R-Ohio) approached Kaptur with an offer to join forces and deliver the final votes needed for McCarthy’s election. Turner reportedly told her, “I’ll go to the well with you and we can change your vote and this will all be over.”
Kaptur, a 22-term lawmaker confronting a difficult reelection fight in a conservative-leaning Ohio district, said she weighed supporting McCarthy as a means to restore “regular order” and move Congress past the paralysis hampering its operations. “This craziness makes us look ridiculous to the world, and it’s certainly ridiculous to the American people,” she said.
Her potential crossover vote, an uncommon and politically risky act in recent House history, was ultimately dissuaded by then-Minority Whip Katherine M. Clark (D-Massachusetts), who “angrily talked her out of the plan,” Leganski wrote. Kaptur confirmed Clark approached her but said her decision was already settling by that point. A spokesperson for Kaptur declined to comment further on private member conversations cited in the book.
Kaptur described efforts to form an independent bloc of about half a dozen members seeking to pull the narrowly divided chamber away from ideological extremes, though she found no Republican colleagues willing to join. “I was trying to find a different fulcrum,” she said. “I tried to create a middle that could help move the institution to at least some level of sanity. I didn’t succeed. I couldn’t find partners to dance with.”
The controversy surrounding the speakership unfolded as Kaptur, the longest-serving woman in congressional history, faces reelection this November in a district that shifted further right following redistricting. Despite her willingness to cross party lines during the speakership deadlock, she downplayed calculations about political ramifications, noting years as a GOP target and emphasizing her commitment to serving constituents over partisan concerns.
McCarthy ultimately secured the speakership on the 15th ballot, but his tenure was short-lived. Nine months later, a coalition including Kaptur and several Republican rebels voted to remove him from the leadership post, highlighting ongoing fractures within the House.
Kaptur’s near-break with party ranks during the 2023 speakership saga offers a unique window into the dynamics of congressional governance amid escalating polarization and the challenges faced by lawmakers navigating shifting political landscapes.