Last Updated on January 3, 2023
GOP establishment leader Kevin McCarthy has failed to reach the 218 votes he needs to become Speaker of the House, with Freedom Caucus members making good on their promise to oppose his speakership campaign.
After party boss, Elise Stefanik nominated Kevin McCarthy, America First Rep. Paul Gosar stood to nominate his fellow Freedom Caucus conservative and Arizonan, Rep. Andy Biggs for speaker, setting off a chain of events that has knocked McCarthy’s speakership campaign flat on its back in the first round of voting.
After the nomination, Rep. Biggs became the first Republican to oppose McCarthy’s nomination, voting for himself before Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert voted for Jim Jordan.
As the votes continue, conservative Republicans are standing up to McCarthy, who used FTX cash and his political machine to crush America First candidates in the 2022 midterms.
In a last-ditch effort to whip Republicans into line, McCarthy threatened to kick all those opposed to his speakership campaign off of their committee assignments. This threat was confirmed to National File first-hand by a Freedom Caucus member on their way into the speakership vote.
This threat appears to have fallen on the firmly entrenched ears of Reps. who are refusing to let McCarthy become Speaker of the House.
Among those voting in favor of McCarthy is Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.
As if the end of the first vote, 19 Republicans in total have voted against McCarthy, putting the speakership well out of his reach.
This story is rapidly developing. Stick with National File for updates as they become available.
Related: McCarthy Used FTX Cash to Defeat Conservatives in 2022
In good faith, over the summer I tried start the conversation with @gopleader Kevin McCarthy, and respectfully and repeatedly cautioned him that the longer he waited to engage in the Speaker race, the more support he’d lose. And here we are.
— RepScottPerry (@RepScottPerry) January 3, 2023