In just two days, Republican House members will select their candidate for Speaker of the New Hampshire House of Representatives.
And a fundraising scandal is still dogging the current Speaker Gene Chandler.
As a result, more than a few House Republicans want a new speaker.
New Hampshire Public Radio's Dan Gorenstein reports.
Republican Representative Shawn Jasper has drafted a letter to all 253 Republican state representatives.
Jasper, chaired the Ethics Committee until he recused himself from hearing the complaint against Speaker Chandler.
Jasper believes Chandler should step aside because of the speaker's fundraising activities are under investigation by the Attorney General and the Ethics Committee.
The Hudson Republican's letter suggests when members caucus this week, they don't vote for Chandler.
:43 I would hope if a majority does not vote for speaker on first ballot, he would take that as a message that ethics do count and that there is a change wanted by the House and eh would step aside, but even if he didn't other candidates would emerge and we would proceed from there.
But plenty of Republican lawmakers, including many in leadership, are sticking by the speaker.
They argue that Chandler is a man of integrity, and that he's apologized for not reporting the gifts he's received from fundraisers.
And as Representative John Gibson notes, nobody has found Chandler guilty of anything.
T.4
1:40 the speaker hasn't been tried. He hasn't been indicted. He admitted to what he has done has been in error. I haven't seen anything from the ethics committee yet. I haven't seen anything from the AG's office. You can't hold someone guilty until they are convicted. And I doin't believe until there is a definite...you are innocent until you are proven guilty.
Some at the statehouse estimate Chandler has the support of about 2/3rds of the GOP membership.
With 253 House Republicans, a candidate needs 127 votes to win the GOP caucus.
And three clear factions of Republicans have emerge.
Those who support Chandler.
Those who support his Challenger Anthony DiFruscia.
And those who believe Chandler should step down, but don't back DiFruscia.
Moderate Republicans, who are 20-30 strong, fall into the latter group.
Representative Cynthia Dokmo says she believes for the good of the House, Chandler should drop out of the race.
T.9
10:57 Even if the Ethics Committee exonerates him, or the AG doesn't continue with charges, there is a perception out there that NH might be for sale. And if we affirm Gene, and it's not a personal thing with me, b/c I really like Gene, but I think if we affirm him as our leadership, we are giving the message tot eh public that might be true.
If Chandler doesn't win on the first ballot, opponents hope he will realize he lacks the necessary support and will drop out.
If Chandler wins, but does so without an overwhelming majority that could give House Democrats an opportunity to get involved.
In December the full House votes for Speaker.
With nearly 150 members the Democrats and only about 60 Republicans would be needed to unseat Speaker Chandler.
And Democratic Representative Dan Eaton says given the way Chandler treated Democrats in the last session there isn't much love lost.
T.6
1:58 the moving of the Democrats out of the third floor, into miniscule office down below, parking assignments, committee assignments, petty to the point of the saying you can't have Democrats as clerk's of the committees...historically the majority of the party has chairmanships and vice-chairmanships, they make the Democrats the clerk. The benny that gets you is a parking space, they didn't even want that to occur...overall treatment.
House Republicans meet Thursday.
For NHPR News, I'm DG.
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