Pennsylvania State Representative Mark Rozzi, a self-identified “freethinker,” is now the speaker of the State House after Republicans couldn’t use their slim (temporary) majority to elect a leader from their own party.

If you’ve been following the drama in that state, you know how chaotic things have been. After years of Republican dominance in the legislature, Democrats finally won a 102-101 majority in the State House after the most recent elections. But there were three vacancies: two members were elected to the U.S. House and a third died before the election but won anyway. All three were from reliably blue districts, so after special elections are held, Democrats will almost certainly retain their majority. But Republicans, eager to capitalize on their temporary majority, insisted that they were in control of the chamber (and therefore in control of when those special elections will take place, which they want as late as possible to maintain their majority for a longer period of time).

Total chaos.

Then there’s the vote for House Speaker. Much like Republicans in the U.S. House can’t seem to coalesce over one name as I write this, the Pennsylvania Republicans were also unable to agree on a consensus candidate.

That gave Democrats and some relatively moderate Republicans an opening. According to Spotlight PA, GOP State Rep. Jim Gregory nominated Mark Rozzi, a Democrat with whom he had grown close. Gregory told his caucus that Rozzi pledged to switch his party label to Independent—and caucus with neither party—if he was elected Speaker.