‘No Plan B': House Republican criticizes plans to block McCarthy speakership bid
by Cami Mondeaux, Breaking News Reporter |
December 28, 2022 02:32 PM
One House Republican is criticizing his fellow GOP lawmakers for threatening to vote against House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s bid to become the next House speaker, maintaining that there is “no Plan B.”
Rep. David Valadao (R-CA) denied whispers that McCarthy might not have the majority support needed to secure the speaker’s gavel, arguing most Republicans in the House want to see him in the top leadership position. His comments come amid a growing opposition toward McCarthy’s speakership as some House Republicans have posed direct challenges to his nomination, with others quietly considering other contenders.
“There’s a lot of us out there,” Valadao told CNN on Wednesday. “I’m part of a group that’s been putting out a lot of letters to our colleagues, even on social media, that we’ll support McCarthy no matter what.”
To secure the gavel, McCarthy needs a majority of voting members — in this case, 218 lawmakers — to vote for him when his nomination goes before the entire House floor in January. The GOP will hold a 222-213 advantage in the House for the next two years, giving McCarthy little room for error.
At least five GOP lawmakers have publicly said they won’t back his speakership bid, and McCarthy can’t afford to lose more than four votes, or else he risks sinking his chances when the House meets to vote on Jan. 3. That list includes Reps. Bob Good (VA), Andy Biggs (AZ), Matt Gaetz (FL), Ralph Norman (SC), and Matt Rosendale (MT).
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https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/house-republican-criticizes-plans-to-block-mccarthy-speaker
