Newt Gingrich predicts complications ahead for McCarthy as speaker
by Rachel Schilke, Breaking News Reporter |
December 04, 2022 10:45 AM
Former Speaker Newt Gingrich warns that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) could face a slew of challenges heading into the new Congress if he becomes speaker.
Tensions within the House GOP are rising as uncertainty surrounds McCarthy's ability to secure the support he needs to obtain the speaker’s gavel during the floor vote on Jan. 3.
Gingrich said during an interview with John Catsimatidis on Cats Roundtable that McCarthy can only afford to lose four people to still have enough votes to secure his position as the next speaker.
"My guess is by January 3rd, when they have the vote, [McCarthy] will have 218, and he'll be speaker," Gingrich said.
The former speaker said McCarthy should expect a fight from Democrats who oppose several of the steps he's announced he would take once Republicans are in control.
McCarthy has stated he wants the first bill the House votes on to repeal the 87,000 IRS agents Democrats were hoping to add. He also has asked the Jan. 6 committee to preserve all records from its investigation so Republicans can look into why the Capitol was not secure on the day of the Capitol riot.
However, Gingrich said McCarthy will have a solid chance to get the GOP's interests set in motion, as he will have the same majority that the current speaker, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), held for the last two years of her leadership.
"With that majority, 222, she managed to pass trillions of dollars in spending and a whole bunch of radical left-wing bills," Gingrich said. "You can get a lot done once you get to be speaker."
Gingrich said he has high hopes for McCarthy as a speaker, but that he should not expect it to be easy.
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https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/newt-gingrich-predicts-complications-ahead-mccarthy-speaker
