Let’s assume the Chaos Caucus is successful in preventing the election of a Speaker of the House. We already have Congressman Thomas “Permanent No” Massie (R, KY) and Congresswoman Victoria “Toddler Tantrum” Spartz (R, IN) on record saying they’ll not vote for current Speaker Mike Johnson (R, LA) for Speaker when the new House convenes on 3 January 2025.

That’s enough, given the Republican’s tiny majority in the House, to prevent a Speaker from being chosen. If the Chaos Caucus persists, the Electoral College vote can’t occur on 6 January. If the Chaos Caucus ego-driven obstruction persists through 20 January 2025, who would become the Acting President?

Currently the line of succession is this:

President of the United States—don’t have one
Vice President of the United States —don’t have one
Speaker of the House—don’t have one
President Pro Tempore of the Senate—serves in place of the President of the Senate, that non-existent Vice President of the United States.

The President Pro Tempore is elected by the Senate at large—one of which we will have on 20 January. With the Republican majority of 53 Senators (52 until Senator-elect and current Governor Jim Justice (R, WV) is sworn in, which he has said he’d delay until his successor Governor is sworn in), it’s less likely that a President Pro Tempore would not be elected promptly.

I speculate that the Senate Majority Leader-to-be, John Thune (R, SD), would be elected President Pro Tempore.

Which would make John Thune the acting President.

Is this what the Chaos Caucus is aiming for? Seems unlikely since Thune isn’t, and never has been, far enough right to suit the Chaos Caucus.