(Presidentialwire.com)- Republican House Leader Kevin McCarthy is experiencing trouble getting the necessary amount of votes to become the next House Speaker for the incoming 118th Congress in January 2023, leaving the possibility open that he may make common cause with Democrats, according to National File.
McCarthy is getting pushback from conservative populists like Rep. Andy Biggs, who was nominated by Rep. Chip Roy in a preliminary vote to face off against McCarthy. The move was to showcase to McCarthy that he did not have the necessary votes and should prepare to make concessions to Republicans who are not currently supporting him.
There are five conservatives reportedly voting “no” to McCarthy’s nomination, including Reps. Matt Gaetz, Andy Biggs, Bob Good, Matt Rosendale, and now Ralph Norman.
“It was not just a no vote within the Republican conference. It is a ‘no’ vote we intend to carry to the floor,” Gaetz said to Steve Bannon on an episode of “War Room,” adding that the GOP is expected to hold a four-seat majority, so the lack of support for McCarthy should show the party that there needs to be a “consensus” candidate.
Gaetz also criticized McCarthy for not supporting subpoenas that he, Rep. Jim Jordan, Ron DeSantis, and Mark Meadows were calling for in the House Judiciary Committee when Republicans held the majority.
Andy Biggs has also come out against McCarthy for a host of reasons, saying that conservatives are tired of the current leadership because they are capitulating too much to radical Democrats. When traveling to speak to constituents in his district, Biggs said that conservatives “want a leader who will take on the Biden Administration. A leader that will not acquiesce in the abrogation of our rights,” according to a press release from his office.
He added that conservatives are “culpable for failing to put the brakes on the Left,” which has caused those on the right to become angry at the Republican Party. McCarthy, in Biggs’ view, does not represent the leadership constituents are calling for and that’s why he says he will not be voting for him in January.
