McCarthy's Speaker Bid Complicated by Right-Wing Opposition
Summary from the AllSides News Team
The Republican Party gained a slim majority over congress in the midterm elections, but the process of selecting a house speaker for the next congress is growing increasingly dramatic. A handful of right-wing legislators are holding back support for Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), placing his bid for the gavel in jeopardy and amplifying rifts in the Republican Party.
For Context: House members vote at the beginning of each congressional session to elect a house speaker. Some of the Republican holdouts not supporting McCarthy are adamant in their opposition, while others are leveraging their vote to receive additional provisions and positions in the next congress. Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) announced he would run for the speaker position earlier this month.
Key Quotes: Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) is among the party members opposing McCarthy. On Steve Bannon’s podcast, ‘War Room,’ Gaetz stated that “there are things Kevin McCarthy did to erode the trust of the members he needs to vote for him if he wants to be speaker,” later adding, “I don't think that he has passed the test of leadership.”
How the Media is Covering It: The Republican Party infighting is being covered across the spectrum in the lead up to the vote on January 3, 2023. Outlets are noting a long-shot possibility of moderate Republicans working with some Democrats to elect a compromise candidate should McCarthy fail to get the required votes. Updated 12/15/22 to remove McCarthy being incorrectly listed as House Speaker under former President Donald Trump. That was Paul Ryan of Wisconsin.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Right
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It’s possible House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., may never clasp the gavel and become Speaker of the House on January 3.
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From the Center
Matt Gaetz Outlines Opposition to Kevin McCarthy as Speaker Battle Rages
Representative Matt Gaetz recently outlined why some Republicans are opposing Kevin McCarthy's bid to become the next Speaker of the House as the battle to select who will lead the House of Representatives continues.
Following the midterm elections last month, Republicans picked up enough seats to narrowly win control of the House, despite underwhelming results in several key races. The GOP is set to enter the new Congress with control of 222 seats, setting up a contentious House speaker race.
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From the Left
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“I’ll get 218,” McCarthy told CNN, referring to the votes he’d need to become House speaker.
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