Staff Reports
According to sources from Capitol Hill, Kevin McCarthy is making a bold move to become Speaker once again. NBC News breaks the story that McCarthy is proposing a plan that would not only reinstate him as Speaker, but also make Rep. Jim Jordan, a strong supporter of Trump, the “Assistant Speaker.” The motive behind this idea, according to one GOP member, is desperation. It seems that McCarthy is willing to try anything to regain power.
While this plan may seem far-fetched and hasn’t gained widespread support within the GOP Conference, it is being discussed among some Republicans. It’s being compared to the arrangement between Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark that the Democrats have. The fact that McCarthy is even bringing this idea up shows just how desperate he and his fellow Republicans are feeling.
However, there seems to be some tension behind closed doors. Two GOP members allege that McCarthy had a “meltdown” during conference talks. Apparently, he is frustrated because he can’t handpick his own successor. This led to two outbursts today. The cause of his frustration stems from his concerns about quickly moving to a vote for Rep. Mike Johnson, the second-place finisher to Emmer. McCarthy claims that this is not the proper way to elect a speaker.
BREAKING.🚨
Tom Emmer, the GOP's pick to replace Kevin McCarthy as Speaker, has dropped out of the race after Donald Trump opposed his candidacy.
"It looked like he didn’t have the math… Just a few minutes ago, Emmer bolted out here with some of his colleagues, didn’t say a… pic.twitter.com/BLibB4AVVu
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) October 24, 2023
Speaking of Emmer, the GOP’s choice to replace McCarthy suddenly dropped out of the race on Tuesday. It appears that Donald Trump’s opposition to his candidacy played a significant role in his decision. Emmer realized that he didn’t have the necessary support to win. Trump himself made his disapproval clear, issuing a scathing statement against Emmer. According to Trump, voting for someone like Emmer would be a “tragic mistake.”
In light of these recent developments, it seems that the GOP is in disarray. McCarthy’s desperate attempt to stage a comeback and the sudden withdrawal of their favored candidate for Speaker show just how fractured the party has become. It remains to be seen how this will all play out, but for now, it’s clear that tensions are running high among the Republicans.
