Speaker’s Race For 2013 Surfacing

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A tidbit that we’ll share from this week’s report because it is increasingly becoming public involves dynamics surrounding the 2013 Speaker of the House race.

Normally, a Speaker is chosen nearly a year before the general election cycle, but with thin margins separating Democrats and Republicans in the House, we may see party candidates for Speaker and a push-back of the final election date.

After legislative redistricting and the 2012 election cycle, there is no guarantee which party will control the Arkansas House of Representatives.

Democratic Reps. Darrin Williams (Little Rock) and Keith Ingram (West Memphis) are rumored to want the post. Republicans may rally around Rep. Terry Rice (Waldron).

House Minority Leader John Burris e-mailed his GOP members on Thursday and outlined a process that will determine how Republicans want to proceed. On Monday Feb. 28., House Republicans will caucus at 11 am and decide to "choose now" or "wait." No word yet of a Democratic strategy.

Content partner Jason Tolbert of The Tolbert Report is receiving similar feedback from his sources and offers this school of thought:

However, the House has always remained in the control of the Democratic Party and has never flipped from one party to another in an election cycle.  This means the next Speaker election could be very interesting. If the Republicans were to take a majority of the House in 2012, would this new House affirm the selection of the previous House? Could a Republican get elected by appealing to a group of conservative Democrats even if they did not take a majority in 2012?

You can read his full take at this link and we’ll certainly be keeping our eye on developments.