The last Speaker of the House to lose his seat was Tom Foley of Washington. He was defeated by George Nethercutt in November 1994 after serving since 1989.
Prior to Foley, we have to go back to 1862 to see a Speaker of the House ‘Retired’.
It's funny, 94' was the year of the Contract with America and the Republican Revolution.
This year we might have the "Y'all suck Revolution, y'all Fired!" and the Contract might be "Make America Great Again".
It is just a gut feeling, but it is feeling good, big changes coming....
Yes, and in 1862 when Speaker Galusha Grow lost his seat, Lincoln’s Repubs lost a bunch of seats - probably because citizens were frustrated their politicians literally could not avoid Civil War.
This year, people are frustrated with their politicians, and we may see history repeat itself 154 years later if the people of Janesville can “Cantorize Their Weasel!”
But Foley didn’t lose in the primary. I wonder if that has never happened.
In 1994, the people of eastern Washington state “defoleyated” Congress.
If Nehlen wins on August 9, this will be the first time that a sitting Speaker was denied renomination for election to the House by his party.