McCarthy’s pursuit of gavel comes at a high cost

House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy is in the fight of his political life as he seeks enough GOP backing to become the next speaker of the House. The California congressman is grinding through the promises and proposals, cajoling and deal-making necessary to win over reluctant colleagues. He needs at least 218 votes to become Democrat Nancy Pelosi's successor. The overtures McCarthy is making include the symbolic and the substantive, but often come with a political cost. For example, he's promised to restore the committee assignments of a farright Republican, Georgia's Marjorie Taylor Greene, and take them away from some high-profile Democrats. McCarthy remains confident of garnering enough support, saying that “we'll get there.”