Earlier this month, we were the first local media outlet to report that Oklahoma Congressman Kevin Hern – a wealthy McDonald's franchisee who represents the Tulsa area – could be the next Oklahoma Speaker of the House.
Not too long after, Hern withdrew his name from consideration to let Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan duke it out for the title.
He did so in the name of UNITY:
I’ve been on the phone 50+ hours with Republican members and what’s clear is we all want UNITY.
— Congressman Kevin Hern (@repkevinhern) October 7, 2023
I believe a three-man race for Speaker will create even more division and make it harder to elect a Speaker.
Read my letter here: pic.twitter.com/Sea4gPCS94
If you follow the local news, you'll know that Scalise and Jordan's efforts to be the next Speaker have both been derailed, and there's now a nine-man free-for-all to be the person who's a historic event or two away from being the next US president.
Hern is now apparently one of those men...
I spoke with @KRMGtulsa earlier today about my decision to run for Speaker of the House. You can listen to that interview here: https://t.co/Gw5n771oBs
— Congressman Kevin Hern (@repkevinhern) October 20, 2023
Wait a minute. I thought Republicans wanted UNITY. If a three-man race for Speaker created division and made it harder to elect a Speaker, wouldn't a nine-man race be even worse? By tossing his hat into the ring (again), isn't Hern being a massive hypocrite, going back on his word, and creating even more dysfunction in DC???
The answer, of course, is "Yes," but you can't blame Hern.
He's a businessman, and being Speaker of the House will get him some great inside information on the stock market:
BREAKING: Kevin Hern has announced he is going to run for speaker of the House after Jim Jordan's attempt failed.
— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) October 20, 2023
Kevin Hern currently is the Congressman who benefits most from the current wars in Ukraine and Israel, per his stock holdings.
Here are more of his unusual trades: pic.twitter.com/gPAEldgf0E
As I mentioned last time around, I hope Hern actually comes out on top in the GOP tribal council and emerges as the next Speaker of the House.
I have no clue if he'll do a good job or not – I'll lean towards the "not" – but it would be fun to have a new powerful Oklahoma hypocrite to cover in our nation's capital.
Stay with The Lost Ogle. We'll keep you advised.
