Hastert Making History for Tenure as Speaker

With Republicans angrily splintered and facing a perilous fall election, House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert will make a little history today as he becomes the longest-serving Republican speaker.

Hastert, with nearly 7 1/2 years in the leadership post, will oust another Illinoisan from the record books: former Rep. Joseph Cannon, whose seven-year, five-month tenure ended in 1911. Democrat Sam Rayburn of Texas was the longest-serving speaker of the House, with a 17-year run over three periods from 1940 to 1961.

Cannon, for whom one of the three primary House office buildings is named, was known for his profanity and a dictatorial style, but Hastert is known for his affable, low-key manner and a concern for GOP members’ views.

“It’s been a significant speakership as well as a long one,” said Newt Gingrich, Hastert’s controversial and colorful predecessor. “It’s a great achievement that he could lead and coordinate and nurture a Republican majority.”

Hastert was elected speaker after Gingrich and former Louisiana Rep. Robert Livingston stepped aside.

Democrats say Hastert’s tenure will be best remembered for quietly putting in place an extremely conservative agenda without serving as a lightning rod for partisan anger.

“He does show the advantage of being boring -- nobody yells at him,” said Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.).

Today, however, Hastert is in the spotlight with a fractured Republican House at odds with the president and fearing for its future as a majority. Within the House GOP, lawmakers are at odds over how much money the federal government should spend and whether lawmakers should earmark federal dollars for special projects in their districts.