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orleans

(36,777 posts)
Sun Feb 15, 2026, 11:57 PM 6 hrs ago

who would you choose for speaker of the house & majority leader in senate? (dems only)

i saw a little video clip of cory booker the other day and thought: damn! he'd make a good majority (even minority) leader.
https://www.senate.gov/senators/

but now that i'm looking thru the list of senators, there are a few that i think would be good and i'm asking myself "is cory too wild?" (lol, but i actually just thought that)

as for the house -- i've heard people talking about AOC for speaker.

just for fun i googled: what qualities does someone need to be an effective speaker of the house of representatives

& the answer:



An effective Speaker of the House requires exceptional political strategy, consensus-building skills, and commanding communication to manage a diverse legislative body and direct the policy agenda. Key traits include the ability to unite their party, negotiate with opposition, maintain party discipline, and articulate complex legislative goals clearly to the public.
Key qualities and requirements for an effective Speaker include:

Political Leadership & Strategy: The ability to build consensus, manage intense conflict, and guide the legislative process. They must unify their party and manage the legislative agenda efficiently.

Strong Communication Skills: Clear articulation of policies and priorities is essential to ensure messages resonate with both members and the public.

Confidence & Presence: Commanding the House floor with assurance rather than arrogance, maintaining authority, and engaging listeners.

Adaptability & Political Savvy: The capability to "read the room," adapt to shifting political circumstances, and understand the needs of their caucus.

Constitutional & Procedural Expertise: Deep understanding of House rules to control the legislative agenda.

Trustworthiness: A reputation for authenticity and reliability, crucial for building trust within the party.

While the Constitution does not list specific qualifications—only stating the House shall choose their speaker—modern speakers are almost exclusively senior members of the majority party who have won a majority of votes, generally 218, from members present and voting.


not that any of us will have any say in those two decisions -- i was just thinking about it
4 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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who would you choose for speaker of the house & majority leader in senate? (dems only) (Original Post) orleans 6 hrs ago OP
Jeffries for speaker RandySF 6 hrs ago #1
Murphy would be good, or VanHolland, Hirono, Duckworth Bluetus 5 hrs ago #3
Eric Swalwell for Speaker, but I think he is running for Governor. 3catwoman3 5 hrs ago #2
My Picks DET 4 hrs ago #4

Bluetus

(2,528 posts)
3. Murphy would be good, or VanHolland, Hirono, Duckworth
Mon Feb 16, 2026, 12:57 AM
5 hrs ago

I'm not feeling Jeffries. Far too conciliatory. I realize there are a bunch of Dems in the House who are just along for the ride and demonstrate no real convictions about anything, so that makes it hard for Jeffries to inspire the whole caucus. But I am not convinced Jeffries has any real convictions himself. I could see Khanna, Lieu, Neguse, maybe Goldman.

3catwoman3

(29,001 posts)
2. Eric Swalwell for Speaker, but I think he is running for Governor.
Mon Feb 16, 2026, 12:52 AM
5 hrs ago

Alyssa Slotkin for Majority Leader.

DET

(2,435 posts)
4. My Picks
Mon Feb 16, 2026, 01:41 AM
4 hrs ago

Sheldon Whitehouse or Chris Murphy in the Senate, Jamie Raskin or AOC in the House. As far as I can tell, these are all people of integrity who do not operate primarily in their own self interest and who are fearless in the face of intimidation. I’m especially partial to Jamie Raskin for his remarkable courage and resilience, but I love AOC’s passion and sheer gutsiness.

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