Loyalists float the idea of reinstating McCarthy as speaker
Loyalists support the idea of McCarthy being reinstated as speaker
Kevin McCarthy has not ruled out the idea of returning to the presidency of the House. “Look, whatever the convention wants, I’ll do it,” he told radio host Hugh Hewitt on Monday morning.
McCarthy moderates have begun to float the prospect as it appears unlikely that either the front-runner — Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, or Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La. — will garner the 217 votes needed to win the speech. They have pointed to the outbreak of war in Israel as evidence of the urgent need for House leadership.
Over the weekend, leadership members were briefed on the situation, but interim Speaker Patrick McHenry was unable to participate in the briefing because he had not been elected to the role. And until the destruction of the speakers is fixed, no legislation will be passed to support Israel and help replenish the Iron Dome. California Republican John Duarte insisted that Democrats should allow McCarthy to be re-elected to the speech.
“What we do know is that there is no greater friend of Israel than Kevin McCarthy,” Duarte said. “On the Democratic side, when we have this vote, anyone who is a friend of Israel should go have a tea party or vote absentee and let Kevin McCarthy back in the speaker’s seat right now,” he told Fox and Friends. Both Scalise and Jordan are considered more conservative than McCarthy.
“We have one of our strongest allies in the world under attack and we’re fighting a leadership race in the House that should never have happened,” Duarte said. The prospect of moderate Democrats helping McCarthy back on the floor is a big shot — they insist moderate Republicans should instead help Jeffries to the speakership. “It’s a fun messaging point that has zero connection to reality,” a House Democratic aide told DailyMail.com.
“Never mind that Republicans refuse to make any concessions to Democrats, or that it’s ridiculous to even think that a Republican would vote for Nancy Pelosi for speaker.” “It is the job of the majority to elect a speaker.” Eight Republicans voted with all Democrats to oust McCarthy in an unprecedented vote last Monday. After the vote, McCarthy announced that he would not seek the speakership again, but remained tight-lipped about what he would do if someone else nominated him for the role.
Last week McCarthy shot down reports he was considering leaving Congress and instead revealed he would run again in 2024. “I’m not quitting, I’ve got a lot more work to do,” he told reporters. “I want to keep the majority,” McCarthy said. “We will expand it further.” Meanwhile, Republicans return to Washington for a contentious week that begins with an all-conference meeting Monday night.
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