[Yo-Yo]

Those Democrats will cast "protest" votes against Pelosi only if they know that their protest vote won't change the outcome of the speakership election.

There is no way a sitting Democrat will vote against Pelosi and give the speakership to a Republican.

And I don't see them switching parties, either.

[mikesmad]

They don’t have to vote for a Republican. If the Republican’s and a handful of Democrats could agree on a centrist (yeah I know) then they could elect a Democrat that is easier to work with.