McCarthy takes a hard line against any senator who backs spending deal

As House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy forges ahead in his quest to secure 218 votes to be the next speaker of the House, he is vowing to take a hard line in the future against any GOP senator who votes to pass the $1.7 trillion spending bill this week.

McCarthy wrote on Twitter, “when I’m Speaker,” bills from any senator who votes for the spending package will be “dead on arrival” in the House of Representatives. He was responding to a letter from Rep. Chip Roy, a conservative who has not said yet if he will back McCarthy for Speaker.

While McCarthy made similar comments during a press conference last week, it’s just the latest sign of the lengths to which the House Republican leader is going in an attempt to pacify and win over conservatives who are still on the fence about voting for him for speaker.