House Republicans went into a caucus meeting Thursday hoping to nominate their next Speaker. They emerged more fractured than ever, after their presumed leader-to-be, in rather dramatic fashion, stepped down under pressure.
Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) told fellow Republicans behind closed doors that he is no longer seeking the top post in the House after far right party members pledged to support other candidates.
“If we are going to unite and be strong, we need a new face to help do that,” Rep. McCarthy said in a press briefing after the announcement. “I don’t want making voter for Speaker a tough one,” he added.
Although McCarthy wielded the most support within the party, its powerful right flank viewed him with suspicion—as an extension of the soon-to-be-former Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio).
Two weeks ago, Boehner’s tumultuous relations with Tea Party members came to a head when he announced his imminent resignation of both his leadership position and his Congressional seat.
The void led to Reps. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) and Daniel Webster (R-Fla.) jumping in the Speaker race to challenge McCarthy. On Wednesday, the far-right House Freedom Caucus, with a membership of more than 40 lawmakers, formally endorsed Rep. Webster—a move that likely slammed the door on McCarthy’s bid to secure the 218 votes he needs.
Gravely wounding McCarthy’s campaign were comments he made suggesting that the House’s Select Benghazi Committee’s ongoing investigation is being motivated by politics.
“Well, that wasn’t helpful,” McCarthy said of his words equating the committee’s activities with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s declining poll numbers.
Supporters of McCarthy in the House were in shock following the decision.
“It is stunning,” Rep. Tom Rooney (R-Fla.) told reporters minutes after McCarthy’s announcement. He said people in the room “were crying.”
“I hope that people talk sense into Kevin to not bow and that more people galvanize around him so we can move forward,” Rep. Rooney said.
As for where things go from here, the congressman was at a loss for ideas.
“Good luck figuring this out,” he told assembled reporters.
McCarthy is expected to remain at his post as Majority Leader.
Boehner has delayed the intra-party election to nominate a new Speaker candidate, giving Tea Party Republicans renewed hope that they’ll be able to put an ally in the top post.
“He recognized that there was some resistance out their among the grassroots,” Rep. John Fleming (R-La.), a member of the House Freedom Caucus, said of McCarthy on Thursday. “We’ll see who else puts their name forward and perhaps somebody in the Freedom Caucus now will stand up and apply himself or herself for that job.”
Reps. Chaffetz and Webster said they still intend to seek the job, though they expect others to join the race.
“I think the conference needs to have a variety of choices,” Rep. Chaffetz told reporters. “We’ve got a lot of discussion that has to happen internally.”
The turmoil could ruin Speaker Boehner’s plans to get out of Washington before the end of the month. His office has stated the he intends to stay in the post until a successor is elected.
“I’m thinking now Boehner doesn’t leave,” Rep. Rooney said. “He can’t leave until we get 218.”
