Fred Upton or Justin Amash? Unity Candidates Floated to Be House Speaker

After two days and six rounds of votes, the House of Representatives still does not have a speaker, leading some members to suggest an alternative: Elect a "unity speaker."

As Republican Kevin McCarthy of California continues to struggle to win over some far-right members of his party who have refused to support him, multiple Democrats have said they would be open to a unity candidate who would satisfy members of both parties.

Two names that have been brought up are Fred Upton and Justin Amash, even though neither currently serves in Congress. However, there is no law or provision in the U.S. Constitution that states being a member of the House or even an elected official is a requirement to become speaker.

Upton announced his retirement in 2022 and did not seek reelection after serving 36 years in Congress as a representative for Michigan. He was a popular official in his state and is considered to be moderate in his political beliefs.

Amash was also a representative for Michigan. He was first elected in 2010 as a member of the Republican Party, but he switched to the Libertarian Party in the spring of 2020 and did not seek reelection that fall.

On Wednesday, Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York was among those who said she was open to the idea of a unity speaker but told The Daily Beast that McCarthy would not be the candidate Democrats would support in such a role.

Marcy Kaptur, an Ohio Democrat, also discussed a unity speaker during a Wednesday interview with Spectrum News.

"I think we have plenty of talent on both sides of the aisle," she said. "And it's only a few [Republicans] who are holding out," Kaptur said. "Maybe what we need to do is look for some kind of arrangement that embraces people from both sides of the aisle."

Though outgoing Wyoming Representative Liz Cheney's name has been brought up as a possibility, Upton and Amash seem to be the candidates getting the most talk as potential unity speakers.

According to the The Detroit News, Upton, whose name was first floated by Republican Don Bacon of Nebraska, is at least open to the possibility, calling the idea "an intriguing suggestion that I have not rejected."

Democratic Colorado Governor Jared Polis suggested Amash for the role in November, and Amash responded on Twitter that he would be interested in becoming the speaker.

"I'd be happy to serve as a nonpartisan speaker who ensures the institution works as it's supposed to—a place where all ideas are welcome and where outcomes are discovered through the process, not dictated from above," Amash tweeted.

In recent days, Amash has tried to make the case for House members to consider putting his name on the ballot.

"I'm not a current member of Congress, but I do know what's at stake," he tweeted on Tuesday. "I'd gladly serve as speaker of the House for one term to show people the kind of legislative body we can have if someone at the top actually cares about involving every representative in the work of legislating."

Newsweek reached out to Upton and Amash for comment.