Donald Trump Jr. recently criticized Republicans lining up in opposition to GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) bid to become the next Speaker of the House.
The former president’s son said that the California representative’s opponents within the party are “in effect empowering those who impeached Donald Trump.”
Further, he called out the naysayers as making a “Democrat dream come true for a GOP Congress” and added, “genius move guys.”
Some within the GOP continue to warn of a “doomsday scenario” in which House Democrats ally with certain Republicans to elect a much more moderate Speaker.
I refuse to allow the Uniparty to choose the Speaker of the House and lose our opportunity to subpoena, investigate, and block the Democrat’s America Last agenda.
Our GOP Conference must unite behind Speaker-elect Kevin McCarthy.https://t.co/ue8uw6MYNm
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) November 29, 2022
Multiple House Republicans are outspoken in their refusal to support McCarthy, who won the nomination for the gavel with a 188-31 vote tally.
The House Freedom Caucus is attempting to put the brakes on the nominee’s bid and cautioned that it is far from a “foregone conclusion.”
Outspoken opponents are conservatives frustrated by McCarthy’s perpetual retreat from conservative values, including Reps. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Bob Good (R-VA), Ralph Norman (R-NC), and Matt Rosendale (R-MT). Others have refused thus far to announce their support for McCarthy.
Despite this, McCarthy overcame the earlier challenge from Biggs to receive the House Republican nomination.
Still, the Arizona representative said shortly afterward that a “serious discussion” needs to be held in the aftermath of the “incredible wave” predicted for the midterms that failed to materialize.
By the numbers, the GOP is expected to hold a 222-213 House majority starting in January. With 218 votes needed to secure the gavel — if all House members vote — only five GOP representatives can oppose McCarthy and see him still emerge as the winner.
As for McCarthy, he continued to express confidence that he will be the Speaker of the House come Jan. 3. If he does not succeed in gaining the 218-vote threshold on the first ballot, he pledged to fight to pull through on subsequent tallies.
Telling reporters that “at the end of the day, we’ll get there,” the nominee is working the halls of Congress to secure enough votes to assume Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) position. Either way, the dispute will make for an interesting Christmas holiday within the GOP ranks.
