Well, this is going to complicate the already rapidly burgeoning clusterfuck that is the race for Speaker of the House. It's already been known that the House Freedom Caucus (or, as I prefer to call them, the Tortilla Coast Gang) is not very happy with Kevin McCarthy, especially since he broke their Benghazi toy in spectacular fashion. And with Jason Chaffetz now in the race, you'd think they'd be leaning that way in support. But no, because remember, there's a third candidate for Speaker, one who often gets overlooked. But not anymore:
In a move that threatens to upend the Republican race to succeed outgoing House Speaker John A. Boehner, a group of hard-line conservatives said Wednesday it will throw its support behind a little known Florida member to become the next speaker.
The House Freedom Caucus announced its support for Rep. Daniel Webster (R-Fla.) after emerging from an afternoon meeting in the Capitol complex.
Why is this a problem for McCarthy?
McCarthy enjoys the support of a solid majority of the 247 member House Republican Conference. But should the Freedom Caucus follow through on its threat to vote as a bloc, it could prevent McCarthy from gaining the majority of all House members, Republicans and Democrats, necessary to claim the speaker’s chair.
Now, to give hope to McCarthy, the Tortilla Coast Gang has given him an opening and said this endorsement is only binding for tomorrow's internal party vote and not necessarily the full House vote for Speaker at the end of the month. And what does that mean? In true Tortilla Coast Gang fashion, it's time for some good old fashion blackmail:
But the endorsement Wednesday gives the caucus tremendous leverage to force McCarthy or any other candidate into adopting rules changes and policy positions favored by conservatives ahead of the decisive floor vote.
“We want rules, policy, process,” said Rep. Dave Brat (R-Va.), who ousted ex-Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.). “We want that on paper ahead of time.”
Rep. John Fleming (R-La.) said Webster’s focus on procedural changes convinced conservatives to back him. “We need to have a voice, we need to have power rather than have the speaker dictate to us,” he said.
No word if they also want McCarthy to release the members of Asian Dawn as well.
Oh yes, and just as an added note, it seems typical that the Tortilla Coast Gang would support as Speaker a candidate who probably won't even be in Congress come 2017 thanks to redistricting. But then again, these guys are never known for their long term strategic thinking.
Whoever they back, the Tortilla Coast Gang has spoken. And Kevin McCarthy's already fraught path to the Speakership just got considerably more complicated.