Paul Kirby reports in the Daily Freeman that Democrat Rep. Pat Ryan wants House Republicans to join Democrats to make Democrat Hakeem Jeffries the new House speaker. Republicans are in disarray, with eight ultra-conservative members ousting Kevin McCarthy last week. That has effectively halted the federal government, as the House cannot take any action without a speaker. Ryan said, “I am calling on five Republicans to transcend the partisanship and really operate as patriots and join what has been the most functionally unified coalition and now the plurality of the House, which is the Democratic coalition, to unify with us so we can get back to governing.” Ryan said “a vote for Hakeem Jeffries is a vote to “move from the chaos of the last nine months and get us back to a place of civility delivering results.” Virtually no political analysts believe Republicans will work with Democrats to back a Democrat for House speaker. But Ryan said, “We are in uncharted territory and that calls for an extraordinary and unusual approach.... I think there is a real chance and I hope that we will see a few folks step forward, a few who have the courage, and more will join.” So far, local Republican Rep. Marc Molinaro has not decided who he will support for Speaker. Ryan voted for Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s ouster while Molinaro voted against it. Read more about this story in the Daily Freeman.