One of the Republican candidates vying to be the next Speaker of the House has been attempting to sway his colleagues with cheeseburgers and personalized gifts.
Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), otherwise known as the “McCongressman” sent his fellow GOP colleagues a “Dear Colleague” letter along with a McDonald’s cheeseburger in a first round of gifts as he attempts to wrangle up some votes for his bid for speaker.
The McDonald’s cheeseburgers come as a nod to Hern owning more than 20 locations with the fast-food chain prior to his time in Congress, according to Roll Call.
“My 35 years of experience as a business leader makes me uniquely qualified to lead a diverse Republican Conference and ensure we break the pattern of legislating in a perpetual state of crisis,” Hern wrote in his letter.
The House has remained without a speaker since eight Republicans joined with Democrats to remove Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from his position.
.@repkevinhern sent a copy of his letter – along with a McDonald’s cheeseburger – to all House GOP offices (even his opponents for the nomination). Before Congress, Hern had a successful career as a McDonald’s franchisee. https://t.co/BPTV8ILni2 pic.twitter.com/CyYBAN012n
— Bradley Jaye (@bradleyajaye) October 23, 2023
Hern was then reported to be sending out a second round of gifts to his colleagues in the House, along with a “palm card.“
“Our Majority Leader must maintain an open line of communication,” Hern wrote in his palm card. “Rest assured, my door will always be open. In addition, I will form focus groups, and hold Policy Power Hours weekly to ensure a bottom up legislative agenda.”
The gifts were reported to be personalized “depending on the member’s hobbies/interests,” and ranged from cigars, golf balls, and alcohol.
> @repkevinhern is sending out a second round of gifts to members. These will be personalized depending on the member’s hobbies/interests. Gifts range from members favorite alcoholic beverage, to Hern branded golf balls and McDonalds’s K-Cups
— Reese Gorman (@reesejgorman) October 23, 2023
Hern is among the seven Republican candidates seeking to become the next Speaker of the House after House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan failed to receive enough support to become speaker. The successful candidate needs to garner 217 votes.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.), Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas), Rep. Jack Bergman (R-Mich.), and Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) are the other candidates vying for Speaker of the House.
Hern earned his architectural drafting certificate in concurrent technical enrollment, according to his website.
Hern went on to work as an aerospace engineer and even began saving money in order to purchase his first McDonald’s franchise by working jobs such as hog farming, real estate, and even writing computer programs that would automate tasks for businesses, according to his website.
In the late 1990s, Hern finally bought two McDonald’s restaurants after selling his hog farm.
The Oklahoma businessman ran for Congress in 2018 in Oklahoma’s first congressional district, and went on to win the election after former Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-Okla.) resigned from his position to serve as the National Security Agency’s (NSA) 13th administrator, according to CBS News.
IJR reached out to Kevin Hern for a statement, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
