Last Updated on January 4, 2023
U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) has called on former President Donald Trump to withdraw his endorsement of Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) after the longtime House leader again came up short on multiple ballots on Wednesday. Trump has held firm in his support of McCarthy despite the fact that the California congressman has blamed him for January 6 and once stated that he should resign in a leaked audio recording.
Trump has reportedly reached out to McCarthy dissenters — including Boebert and U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) — and urged them to abandon their quest to oust McCarthy.
“VOTE FOR KEVIN, CLOSE THE DEAL,” and “TAKE THE VICTORY,” the former president wrote in a Truth Social post on Wednesday. “REPUBLICANS, DO NOT TURN A GREAT TRIUMPH INTO A GIANT & EMBARRASSING DEFEAT. IT’S TIME TO CELEBRATE, YOU DESERVE IT. Kevin McCarthy will do a good job, and maybe even a GREAT JOB – JUST WATCH!”
Boebert pushed back on Trump’s demands, however, instead urging the president to acknowledge that McCarthy does not have the votes and support somebody else.
“Let’s stop with the campaign smears and tactics to get people to turn against us, even having my favorite president call us and tell us we need to knock this off,” Boebert said on the House floor Wednesday. “I think it actually needs to be reversed. The president needs to tell Kevin McCarthy that, ‘Sir, you do not have the votes and it’s time to withdraw.’”
Boebert says that Trump called them and told them to "knock this off" and vote for McCarthy.
She then says that Trump should tell McCarthy to withdraw. pic.twitter.com/s7wVyh3pTY
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) January 4, 2023
As of ballot six, Kevin McCarthy has failed to secure enough votes to become Speaker and has seen his margin thin over time. After U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds defected from McCarthy on ballot three, he was joined on Wednesday by U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz, who changed her vote from McCarthy to “present.”
U.S. Rep. Ken Buck has also hinted at withdrawing his support for McCarthy, stating that he clearly does not have the necessary votes. Buck did vote for McCarthy on ballot six, but he has also reportedly urged the longtime GOP House leader to cut a deal.
The House is set to reconvene at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday.