GOP Leaders Seek Unity in Speaker Fight

State Republican leaders are scrambling to unify party members after N.C. House Minority Leader Leo Daughtry, R-Johnston, announced Sunday that he does not have enough votes to win election as House speaker.

Daughtry, who was selected Nov. 17 by the Republican caucus as its speaker nominee for the 2003-05 session, must gain the full support of Republicans to win the election. "(I am doing) all I can do to convince people to vote for me," he said.

About 53 Republicans have pledged their support, Daughtry said. He is making phone calls to those still on the fence.

Because Republicans hold a razor-thin 61-59 majority in the House, Daughtry might have to attract some Democratic votes if he cannot muster full Republican support.

Daughtry offered no comment as to the extent to which he has been courting the Democratic vote.

Rep. Richard Morgan, R-Moore, a vocal critic of Daughtry, and Rep. Connie Wilson, R-Mecklenburg, also are running for speaker.

The Democratic caucus selected House Speaker Jim Black, D-Mecklenburg, as its speaker nominee.

Whoever wins the position of speaker only will do so through a combination of votes from members of both parties, Morgan said.

"The hardest nut to crack is to get all 61 Republicans to vote for a Republican," he said. "The second hardest nut to crack is to get all the Democrats to vote for a Republican."

Black appears to have more bipartisan support than Daughtry, who refused to reveal Sunday whether he picked up any additional votes in the Republican caucus or from House Democrats, Morgan said.

Daughtry's failure to secure enough votes can be attributed at least partially to dissatisfaction from veteran House members who are fed up with his leadership style, Morgan said.

"I think that a Daughtry speakership would cause irreparable damage to my party, to the institution of the House of Representatives I care so much for.

"Daughtry should say, 'Listen, I can't do this. ... I want to help you elect someone who can.'"

Daughtry's announcement that he does not have the necessary votes caused great concern among members of the caucus, Wilson said. She emphasized that without agreement from all Republicans as to the best speaker candidate, the party will be unable to push its candidate to the top.

"It's going to take a consensus candidate to win the speakership," she said. "It's important that we get our act together."

Wilson said she is going to run not because she opposes Daughtry but because he does not have the necessary support to defeat Black.

"I have talked to a number of people who don't support him, and he doesn't have the Democratic votes to make up the difference," she said.

The outcome of the speaker election likely will come down to a matter of process and procedure, Morgan said.

House members are split on the fairest method to conduct the speaker election. Some legislators, including many Daughtry supporters, think candidates not receiving a significant number of votes should be dropped from the ballot in each round of the election.

Others think all candidates should remain on the ballot to ensure that a Republican candidate still can win even if Daughtry does not have the necessary support.

Morgan declined to disclose the number of votes pledged to him. "I've been talking to Democrats and Republicans," he said.

Legislators will select a new House speaker Jan. 29 when the N.C. General Assembly reconvenes.

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.