Majority Republicans in the gridlocked Ohio House have set a vote for Wednesday to pick a new speaker despite deep uncertainty about the outcome.
Speaker Pro Tem Kirk Schuring announced the decision Friday after taking a straw poll of members. A majority of House Republicans have so far been unable to settle on a speaker candidate to replace Republican Speaker Cliff Rosenberger, who resigned in April amid an FBI investigation. That's left the fractured caucus to spar for weeks while legislation languishes. Schuring gave members of both parties until Friday to choose whether to proceed with the vote or to change House rules so he could lead the chamber through the end of the year. Minority Democrats abstained from Schuring's private tally, citing concern it might have violated Ohio open-meetings laws.
