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House Speaker Update

By Mike Huckabee

January 5, 2023
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After six votes Wednesday, holdouts were still refusing to back Rep. Kevin McCarthy, and the House voted to adjourn and reconvene later today. Reports are that negotiations continued last night with some possible progress. The New York Times, citing confidential sources, claims that McCarthy “privately agreed to more demands from the right-wing rebels that he had previously refused to countenance, including allowing a single lawmaker to force a snap vote at any time to oust him from the speakership.”

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/01/05/us/house-speaker-vote?campaign_id=190&emc=edit_ufn_20230105&instance_id=81893&nl=from-the-times&regi_id=185440375&segment_id=121640&te=1&user_id=e72989d1d346165df7b3f4d8aabe2fdd

McCarthy has offered an astounding number of concessions, listed here by Victoria Taft at PJ Media.

https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/victoria-taft/2023/01/05/here-are-the-latest-deals-kevin-mccarthy-has-made-to-become-speaker-n1658804

The Club For Growth has also reportedly cut a deal with a super PAC associated with McCarthy that could result in them endorsing him as Speaker.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/01/04/speaker-race-breakthrough-mccarthy-pac-agrees-conservatives-no-spending-safe-open-seat-primaries/

Fox News has comments from Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, the latest alternative proposed for McCarthy.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-speaker-race-rep-elect-byron-donalds-responds-retribution-running-against-kevin-mccarthy

As noted in the article, until there’s a Speaker, the new House can’t even be sworn in, so this is preventing necessary action from being taken on many fronts. 

McCarthy’s detractors still have no alternative candidate who is more conservative and can attract enough votes to win. They keep pointing to the last time conservatives forced McCarthy to withdraw in 2015, but back then, a dark horse “unity” candidate stepped forward and won. Considering that was Paul Ryan, whom they now vilify as a squishy, Trump-hating RINO, it’s not exactly a ringing endorsement for this strategy.

This is a continuing (and continuing!) story, so keep checking the regularly updated Fox News feed for the latest developments.

https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/house-speaker-vote

One thing to note:  While the 10% wants to rule over the 90% (who has ever allowed that or thought it was the way elections work?), it’s revealing that some of the holdouts have said in interviews that what they are “demanding” of Kevin McCarthy is that they get choice committee assignments and a promise they won’t be punished for their attempted coup.  That’s not only delusional, but very telling.  If a person is objecting by sheer principle, one is willing to suffer whatever the consequences for the rebellion.  When a person says, “Hey, this is about ME…protecting MY position, MY role in leadership, and MY being able to take any shot I want at 90% of my colleagues and have no consequence other than being rewarded.”  THAT my friend is NOT acting on “principle.”  It’s a selfish act of a power grab and publicity stunt.  Reward THAT behavior and you’ll keep getting more of it in the future.

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Comments 21-30 of 110

  • Charles Dean

    01/05/2023 07:58 PM

    Rather than cutting any deal with the Democrats if this standoff in the House continues, for the sake of the Republican Party and all freedom-loving American Conservatives the following action needs to be taken. Kevin McCarthy, Steve Scalise, Jim Jordan, Newt Gingrich, and President Donald Trump need to call a private session with these 20+ rebel defectors who are sabotaging the Republican Party and holding it hostage. They should have them name in a consensus 2 or 3 of these same leaders standing in front of them who they would vote for to become the next Speaker. Then the leaders who pass this test should be presented before the entire House Republican caucus to see which one(s) are acceptable enough to become the next Speaker. And it should be made clear that by no means will the party give in to any of the unreasonable demands made by these antagonists.

  • Charles Dean

    01/05/2023 07:31 PM

    Mike thank you for providing this forum. Former Speaker Newt Gingrich is absolutely right that these 20+ rebels are selfishly holding the Republican Party hostage until they get their demands.
    And I find it HORRENDOUS that a few of them--who I used to like--namely Matt Goetz, Lauren Boebert, and 1 other, even said they would vote for the hate-filled antagonistic Hakeem Jeffries over Kevin McCarthy as Speaker!! These are the words of TRAITORS: to their own party and to the Conservatives whom they claim to represent. Even after McCarthy was endorsed by Jim Jordan and Donald Trump these hostile and closed-minded rebels do not listen to reason and have checked their brains at the door. They infuriate me and they need to be primaried if they don't immediately stop their futile insane efforts to sabotage the authority and honor of their own party. They also claim to be Christians but they are playing into the hands of the devil who is the accuser of the brethren and who loves to neutralize and conquer Christians by dividing them against each other. And some of them have their own selfish motives and demands that they do not deserve. Kevin McCarthy has bent over backwards to appease these hostile ingrates.
    ALL the balanced Conservative spokesmen in the media need to confront and rebuke them until they cease and desist their hostile rebellion against freedom-loving decent Americans. Charles

  • Beverly Hart

    01/05/2023 06:25 PM

    Let me understand this….your “sources” for the House Speaker Updates are primarily NYT and Fox? When did they become so trustworthy? Is it possible someone “leaked” inaccurate information from “the room?” Where’s the discernment?

  • Edward Wyraz

    01/05/2023 06:09 PM

    This so-called freedom pac is beginning to sound like whinning children, if not right down vindictive. This "my way" or the highway approach sounds just like these progressive dems. Is there any way you can convince them to grow-up?

  • Roy Lee Seay

    01/05/2023 05:41 PM

    By stating, “Hey, this is about ME…protecting MY position, MY role in leadership, and MY being able to take any shot I want at 90% of my colleagues and have no consequence other than being rewarded.” THAT my friend is NOT acting on “principle.” It’s a selfish act of a power grab and publicity stunt. Reward THAT behavior and you’ll keep getting more of it in the future.
    That is very descriptive of Kevin McCarthy. McCarthy needs to step aside for the good of the people.

  • Paul Ferguson

    01/05/2023 05:39 PM

    If the rebels are truly making this about themselves and committee assignments, then it's a black mark on them. However, focusing on McCarthy himself, he's a RINO and will do nothing for us. He'll get elected then not keep his promises. I haven't heard anything publicly that he has agreed to any concessions with teeth in them to boot him out if he doesn't keep his promises.

  • Paul Ferguson

    01/05/2023 05:37 PM

    If the rebels are truly making this about themselves and committee assignments, then it's a black mark on them. However, focusing on McCarthy himself, he's a RINO and will do nothing for us. He'll get elected then not keep his promises. I haven't heard anything publicly that he has agreed to any concessions with teeth in them to boot him out of he foamy keep his promises.

  • Tewania Canterberry

    01/05/2023 05:35 PM

    The reports are incorrect. These “so called rebels”
    which I call Patriots aren’t holding out for committee positions. They know as well as we know that the status quo isn’t working. They are fighting for we the people to bring the necessary changes so that what happened with the Omnibus bill never happens again. The American people who love this nation are sick and tired of the people in Congress voting for things they’ve Never read. Why should anyone be forced to cast a vote for something that further destroys and bankrupts our country. Kevin McCarthy is a Do Nothing RINO and America deserves better !

  • Charlene Kosc

    01/05/2023 05:26 PM

    Put Trump in for 100 days to clean up this mess! Republicans need to grow a backbone & unite for once!!!

  • Stephen Ernest Mitchell

    01/05/2023 05:21 PM

    What is it with the Republican Party ? Why don't they get their act together and get out of each other's way . You hand them the House , they screw it up . You hand them the best President ( Donald Trump ) in the last 60 plus years , and they stab him in the back . What is it with that Party ? Now you know why so many voters are leaving both parties and going Independent . Party politics , you've got to love it !

Mike Huckabee

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