Americans want a House speaker ‘as soon as possible’

NEWS AND OPINION:

In case you wondered, just over two-thirds of registered U.S. voters — 67%, to be exact — agree with this sentence: “Congress needs to elect a Speaker as soon as possible to fund immediate needs like support for Israel, Ukraine, and to prevent a government shutdown in November.”

That is a fairly succinct message, from a wide-ranging poll released Monday by Suffolk University and USA Today.

Alternatively, 25% agreed with this rather succinct phrase: “I don’t care if Congress elects a Speaker. Every day that goes by without a Speaker means that Congress can’t waste more of our tax dollars.”

And 8% are undecided about the matter.

See the poll particulars and more findings in the Poll du Jour at column’s end.

THE SPEAKER PRESS

Well, at least the Republican search for a new House speaker gave the restless press plenty to do on Monday. Here are a few headlines of note from the last 24 hours:

“9 Republicans are running for House speaker. Only 2 of them voted to certify the 2020 election” (USA Today); “Republican search for new U.S. House leader returns to square one” (Yahoo News); “Day 20 with no House speaker as Republicans struggle and lower-level names reach for the gavel” (The Boston Globe); “House speaker ‘chaos’ could benefit Democrats as race stretches into new week” (Fox News); “House speaker drama resumes as 9 contenders try to unite fractured GOP” (Dallas Morning News); and “Top Republicans Emmer, Johnson join wide-open speakership race” (Bloomberg News).

MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE

Some lawmakers outside the nation’s capital are keeping a close eye on certain aspects of the complex American electoral system.

After serving five terms as a New Hampshire state senator, Republican Russell Prescott is now running for Congress and has signed a “Term Limits pledge.”

It specifies that as a member of Congress, he promises to co-sponsor and vote for the U.S. Term Limits Amendment, which would limit terms of office in the House and Senate.

“As someone who has spent time as a citizen legislator here in New Hampshire, I understand the vision our Founding Fathers had for Congress. In contrast to how we run things in the Granite State, a status quo of entrenched politicians on Capitol Hill has created a system where powerful elites have made a career out of what should be a public service,” Mr. Prescott said in a written statement shared with Inside the Beltway.

“I join with a strong number of Americans who span all areas of political ideology in firm support of term limits for Congress. I will always fight for bi-partisan initiatives like these that will help fix a broken Washington, and I am proud to sign this pledge to the residents of New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District,” he said.

Find this candidate at PrescottforCongress.com.

THE REPUBLICAN WATCHDOG

A round of applause, please, for the Republican National Committee, which continues to ferret out specific numbers and hard evidence that “Bidenomics” is underperforming, to say the least.

Here are just a few samples of current research released by the committee on Monday:

“Just 26% of Americans say ‘Bidenomics’ has been good for the country — so, naturally, President Biden will make another feeble attempt at selling the failed economic agenda,” writes Jake Schneider, RNC director of communication and research, in a substantial report released Monday.

He is citing a Bloomberg/Morning Consult poll released Monday.

But wait, there’s more.

“The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate hit 8% for the first time since 2000. Homebuyers must earn $114,627 to afford a median-priced house in the U.S., according to a recent report by Redfin, a real estate firm,” Mr. Schneider said.

“Paying bills and saving for emergencies has replaced saving for retirement as the top concern for workers between the ages of 21 and 64,” he said, this time citing a CNBC report.

“Under Biden, Americans have seen a 3.2% pay cut while prices have risen by 17.7%,” Mr. Schneider added, this particular finding based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“Bidenomics is not working — not even,” he concluded.

Others agree.

“Prices are up, real wages are down, and Americans’ confidence in Biden’s handling of the economy is in the gutter. Bidenomics is a failure and families are feeling it, and it is clear Biden doesn’t care,” said Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, also in a written statement.

Find the entire “rapid response” report — and other interesting fare — at GOP.com/articles/.

RAMASWAMY’S DEFENSE POLICY

An event of note for Tuesday: Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will deliver what organizers describe as a “national security address” at the Hudson Institute in the nation’s capital.

The entrepreneur and self-described political outsider will be “outlining his vision for how we defend the American homeland,” according to the organizers. Following his remarks, he will sit down for what’s described as a “fireside chat” with Hudson senior fellow Michael Doran.

The event will be livestreamed at 4 p.m. Eastern time at Hudson.org/events/presidential-speech-series-vivek-ramaswamy.

POLL DU JOUR

• 27% of U.S. registered voters say they have “no confidence” that leaders in the White House and Congress can handle the major challenges the nation faces.

• 35% have “very little confidence” that U,S, leaders can handle the nation’s major challenges.

• 32% have “some confidence” that the leaders can handle the major challenges.

• 4% have “a lot of confidence” that leaders can handle the challenges.

• 1% are “undecided” on the issue.

SOURCE: A Suffolk University survey of 1,000 registered U.S. voters conducted Oct. 17-20 and released Monday.

• Follow Jennifer Harper on X @HarperBulletin.