McCarthy scrambles to firm up speaker bid
House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and his allies have spent the past 72 hours working the phones, trying to salvage his career goal of becoming speaker of the House today as Republicans continue to argue over whether he deserves the top spot.
While an overwhelming majority of Republicans want to elect Mc- Carthy as speaker, roughly 15 have put the outcome in serious doubt. McCarthy can only afford to lose four Republicans in today’s floor vote, and the razor-thin margin has emboldened staunch conservatives within the House Freedom Caucus, who have made specific demands in exchange for their votes.
If McCarthy fails to win the gavel on the first ballot today, it would be a historic loss: No leader vying for speaker has lost a firstround vote in a century.
“Two trains are going 100 miles per hour and everyone is wondering: Which one will survive?” one senior GOP aide said in trying to capture the current mood within the conference.
Five Republicans have remained firm in their opposition to McCarthy, or are leaning toward no, since the election. They include Rep. Andy Biggs (Ariz.), who lost to McCarthy in a vote behind closed doors in November but will challenge him publicly on the floor today.
While McCarthy has made numerous concessions in an effort to win their votes, including changes to a provision that could limit his time as speaker, nine additional Republicans signed a letter late Sunday calling McCarthy’s proposal “insufficient,” further signaling that his ascent remains unassured.
“The times call for radical departure from the status quo — not a continuation of the past, and ongoing, Republican failures,” the nine wrote about McCarthy.
In response, McCarthy pledged in a letter to colleagues to “work with everyone in our party to build conservative consensus,” but stressed the need for the conference to unite around a proposed rules package that will dictate how the House governs over the next two years.