Former Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-SC) analyzed Republican Kevin McCarthy’s (Calif.) unsuccessful bid for House Speaker. It was in ruins when the aged ghosts of the California Republican came back to haunt him. McCarthy has struggled with basic votes before, and today was no exception. We had three ballots that left both sides exhausted. McCarthy did not have enough Republican votes, and 20 rebels refused to support his bid. And Republican Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), who was elected to succeed Republican Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) as House Democratic leader, also doesn’t have those numbers; Republicans have a slim majority this session.
Three deadlocks resulted in a motion to adjourn until noon tomorrow, but while Jeffries’ support remained steadfast, McCarthy’s grip on his support base began to weaken. Who knows if the dam will break, but it’s time to step down and regroup, though it’s unclear whether the break will benefit McCarthy.
Why is Mick Mulvaney even here?
— Leigh Ann Caldwell (@LACaldwellDC) January 3, 2023
Some wondered why Mulvaney was even on the Hill: He is not a member of Congress, has served as Trump’s White House chief of staff, director of the Office of Management and Budget, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and, finally, special envoy to Northern Ireland. Either way, he was interviewed by CNN’s Jake Tapper and got to the bottom of the opposition of about 20 House Republicans to McCarthy. It’s personal; these rebels don’t like this man. What’s more, they have no plan.
When he asked them who they would prefer, they told Mulvaney that Republican Jim Jordan (R-OH) was a suitable alternative, but the Ohio Republican a) didn’t want the job and b) there was no realistic scenario in which he would get the votes. The extensive majority of the House Freedom Caucus supported McCarthy on every vote, so this is not an actual conservative revolt. The former White House chief of staff added that McCarthy’s 20 opponents are enjoying media hits and mayhem, but this is a sloppy way to conduct a speaker election.
EXCLUSIVE: Former President Trump declined to say whether he maintained his support for Kevin McCarthy as today’s speaker, telling me in a brief telephone interview that he had fielded calls throughout the day asking for support, and “We’ll see what happens.” We’ll see how it all works out.”
— Garrett Haake (@GarrettHaake) January 3, 2023
“I don’t see it being anything other than personal,” former OMB director and founder of the Freedom Caucus @MickMulvaney tells me about the marshal’s first vote.
— Michael Ginsberg (@mikeginsberg98) January 3, 2023
Frustrated @MickMulvaneyon Bloomberg Radio with @JMathieuReportsclaims that Republican Party supporters do not offer viable alternative candidates.
“He doesn’t have a name. I think they’re playing checkers. They really don’t like Kevin McCarthy, that’s all,” he said.
— Josh Wingrove (@josh_wingrove) January 3, 2023
This is very interesting. DON BACON tells us that if McCarthy ultimately withdraws, he may run a candidate against SCALISE if he runs. He said the candidate he had in mind was currently serving in Congress but would not be in the next Congress.
He wouldn’t say whether it was Fred Upton
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) January 2, 2023
This is ironic because Mulvaney did not support John Boehner’s candidacy for speaker, although he admits he harbored no personal animosity towards the former speaker. This vote is different. If not McCarthy, then who? This is what he suggested to those members who remain steadfast in their opposition. Mulvaney added that a possible alternative is a bipartisan/coalition election that selects a more centrist Republican who can appeal to enough Democrats and who provides votes for the speaker position. This option would be less palatable to the conservative base than if McCarthy gave the gavel outright.
The South Carolina Republican also argued that his opposition to Boehner was due to the marginalization of conservative voices in the GOP caucus. If McCarthy is elected Speaker, Republican Jordan will lead the House Judiciary Committee, a position Mulvaney admits would never have been considered during Speaker Boehner’s tenure.
The fourth vote begins tomorrow. I would expect someone to be talking to someone all night long because, as Leo McGarry said, “it’s funny one night and we look like idiots the next.”
On the other hand, I believe that all is fair in chaos. When it comes to people who have a real chance of getting the hammer – McCarthy – I’m not indifferent, so if he gets it, he will do it. If not, well.
