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Republicans are still in disarray as McCarthy struggles to find the votes to be House speaker [1]

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Date: 2022-12-09

The letter is led by Rep. Scott Perry, joined by Reps. Chip Roy, Dan Bishop, Andrew Clyde, and Paul Gosar, along with Reps.-elect Eli Crane and Andy Ogles. None of those seven had previously publicly said what they planned to do in the speaker election—and they still haven’t. What they’ve done is opened their bargaining with McCarthy, who desperately needs their votes. They’re seeking to find out what he’ll give up to achieve his dream, but they’re also telling him that he’ll need to suck up a lot, and bargain away a good bit of power.

The concessions McCarthy has already made, Perry told Axios, aren’t good enough. “We've got to go much further than rules, but we’re happy to have a conversation,” he said. You know, a conversation about how McCarthy can win their votes by making it easy for them to replace him, staying out of primaries, and turbocharging efforts to keep the Biden administration from ever doing anything without facing a barrage of subpoenas.

McCarthy’s struggle to round up the votes to become speaker is a preview of what he’ll face if he does become speaker. Namely, constant fighting and jockeying for position. McCarthy has shown he’s willing to take some of the hostages demanded by the far right, like the debt ceiling, and with it the U.S. economy. But they want still more, and they always will.

The only person who’s declared he’s officially challenging McCarthy is far-right Rep. Andy Biggs. Nobody thinks he’ll win, but that’s not to say there’s not a game plan.

“I don't know anyone that’s predicting anyone that’s predicting Andy Biggs will get 218,” Rep. Bob Good told Axios. “What Andy is courageously doing is opening that door for us to help us deny Kevin the majority.”

And if they succeed at denying McCarthy the majority in a floor fight, there won't be enough popcorn in the world.

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