Kevin McCarthy Gives Into Key Demand Ahead Of House Speaker Vote — But Still Faces Tough Election Bid
ForbesNov 02, 2022
The Facts
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) agreed to make concessions to the conservative wing of the GOP as he looks to secure the necessary votes to become House Speaker of the incoming Congress.
The Republican Conference is set to meet Tuesday to determine how many members will be present and how many votes McCarthy needs to become speaker. McCarthy held a video conference on Sunday and revealed the proposed rules package for the new GOP majority.
The Spin
Conservative narrative
While the GOP establishment wants members to just get in line for Kevin McCarthy, principled conservatives must take the lead and not allow McCarthy to become Speaker of the House. He has no conviction and will do whatever his wealthy donors ask of him. A Republican majority isn’t a victory if no meaningful change comes along with it, and McCarthy is the status quo politician.
Republican narrative
The group of Republicans trying to thwart Kevin McCarthy’s speaker bid is only causing division within the party and are hurting their GOP colleagues. The overwhelming majority of House Republicans want McCarthy as their speaker, and a handful of conservative insurgents are causing problems with no rational reasoning.