The GOP majority in the House of Representatives made some really embarrassing history Tuesday, being the first Congress in 100 years to fail to elect a Speaker and humiliating Republican leader Kevin McCarthy in the process. Totally humiliating Kevin McCarthy, who really miscalculated what was going on in his conference. Not only did he lose on the first ballot, and the second ballot, he lost worse on the third ballot—the opposition grew from 19 members to 20 voting against him.
Clearly, McCarthy’s strategy of making huge concessions to the Freedom Caucus in order to get their support, and then yelling at them in the conference meeting for not supporting him, didn’t work. He knew walking onto the House floor Tuesday knowing he did not have the votes to win, but somehow hoping that somehow maybe he could find them. He miscalculated. But by all accounts, it’s the strategy he decided to stick with going into the second day of balloting, starting at noon on Wednesday.
It’s not just exposing what a failure McCarthy is, it’s tearing apart his already fractious conference, with QAnon Queen Marjorie Taylor Greene lashing out at her former friends.
Having drawn blood Tuesday, the MAGAs aren’t backing off. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who still isn’t in jail for statutory rape, is trying to get McCarthy evicted from the Speaker’s office, asking the Architect of the Capitol, “How long will he remain there before he is considered a squatter?” He vowed Tuesday that he is “prepared for an extended battle that I will ultimately win.”
Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA), last in the news for his starring role in helping plot Trump’s insurrection, is digging in.
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There are some reports that McCarthy is going to resort to out-and-out bribery to get these guys on board, and that “select committee or subcommittee gavels may be up for grabs” in the negotiations. That’s not going to go over great with the 200 other Republicans, a handful of whom legitimately assume that they are going to get those committee seats.
Those members, even close allies of McCarthy, aren’t being shy about how this is pissing them off. “There’s anger because we negotiated in good faith and gave a lot more than we ever wanted,” Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) said Tuesday.
“I do think you have had a number of people who are not good-faith negotiators. They have been asking for lots of things. Some of them may not have any interest in actually cutting the deal,” said Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD).
Right now, their anger is directed at the maniacs, but the more McCarthy courts them, the likelier they are to abandon him and look for an alternative. Which leads to the question of where the Democrats are going to come in. Thus far, Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries is telling them to pound sand. “The Republican dysfunction is what it is: Chaos, crisis, and confusion, along with craziness. That’s sad for the American people. They’re going to have to figure out a way out of it,” he said Tuesday.
President Joe Biden backed him up. “That's not my problem. I just think it's really embarrassing it's taking so long. ... The world's watching. ... We need to get our act together. ... What I'm focused on is getting things done.”
What happens at noon Wednesday? We have no idea. Democrats are telling reporters that Republicans are planning to vote to adjourn when they come in, and that “leaders [are] recommending a NO vote if Rs move to adjourn, it was announced in caucus.” So maybe nothing happens Wednesday. Stay tuned for coverage here.
What better way to start the year than by previewing the biggest contests of 2023 on this week's episode of The Downballot? Progressives will want to focus on a Jan. 10 special election for the Virginia state Senate that would allow them to expand their skinny majority; the April 4 battle for the Wisconsin Supreme Court that could let progressives take control from conservatives; Chicago's mayoral race; gubernatorial contests in Kentucky and Louisiana; and much, much more.
