Last Updated on December 3, 2022
Axios has begun to recognize Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s path to the House Speakership role may be treacherous for the longtime establishment Republican.
Axios published an article earlier this week which warned McCarthy “is at risk of a humiliating and potentially career-ending defeat with just five weeks until the Jan. 3 speaker election, as several members of the right-wing House Freedom Caucus are still publicly vowing to deny him crucial votes.”
McCarthy is facing pushback from the Trump-aligned House Freedom Caucus and other pro-America First House Republicans. It appears particular members of the GOP are unwilling to back McCarthy after the California rep. gave into the Democrat-driven narrative surrounding the January 6th protest by blaming former President Donald Trump.
Rep. McCarthy has also spoken out that he would not lead impeachment proceedings into Joe Biden. The House Speaker-elect is scrambling to secure the 218 votes necessary to win the Speakership role in January.
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With only 222 Republicans in Congress, it is instrumental that McCarthy convinces every Republican to back him. However, Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.) believes at least a dozen Republicans are “hard no” voters against McCarthy.
National File previously reported:
“I believe we have at least a dozen or so… that will do what needs to be done on the House Floor to ensure that we get an improvement in the Speaker situation,” Rep. Bob Good told John Fredericks, a political radio host.
“You know he’s going to be making deals left and right, as we speak, he’s on the phone now making deals – that’s how he got MTG, right. [McCarthy] cut her a deal…but you’re telling me you got a dozen ‘hard nos’?” Fredericks asked Rep. Good.
“I believe…that there’s a dozen or so who will show the steel courage that’s needed…that will not be persuaded. I hope that it’s more because I will tell you John…we got five or six, [a] handful of freshmen [congressman] who’ve come in who’ve shown some real steely resolve, some real courage. Because, when you get here John, you’re told, and I’m in DC now…but pressure gets on those freshmen [congressmen] coming in, ‘hey you better be careful, you better watch out, don’t be part of the Freedom Caucus, you know, because then you’re gonna fall out of favor, you’re gonna have consequence, you’re not going to get committee assignments you want, you’re not going to get the money that you want, you’re not going…to be promoted by leadership.’” Rep. Good explained.
McCarthy has disappointed America First Republicans by offering no promise to restore the ability for Republicans to lead a “motion to vacate” the Speaker’s chair.
The “motion to vacate the chair” was removed by current Speaker Nancy Pelosi despite being a part of America’s legislature for decades.
As National File previously reported:
The “motion to vacate” rule formerly served as a check on the Speaker by his conference, in that it required the Speaker to enjoy serving at the pleasure of his conference, given that the motion to remove the Speaker could be brought to the floor by a single member of Congress.
With McCarthy adhering to Pelosi’s leadership standards, House Republicans would be unable to hold McCarthy accountable and let the establishment California rep. hold unchecked power over the House.
Stay tuned to National File for any updates.
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