GOP lawmakers from districts Biden won say they’ll only support McCarthy for speaker

Present and incoming Republican members of the Home representing battleground congressional districts and districts that President Biden gained within the 2020 presidential election vowed to solely assist Home Minority Chief Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) for speaker on Thursday. 

The group of 15 signers, made up of six representatives and 9 representatives-elect, stated in a letter despatched to their Republican colleagues that they won’t assist “any so-called shadow ‘consensus candidate’” for the speakership. 

The letter was first obtained by Politico. 

“Allow us to be clear: we aren’t solely supporting Kevin McCarthy for Speaker, however usually are not open to any so-called shadow ‘consensus candidate’ — no matter what number of votes it takes to elect Speaker-designate McCarthy,” they stated. 

Their pledge comes as McCarthy is attempting to safe sufficient assist to be chosen as speaker when the 118th Congress convenes on Tuesday. 

At the very least 5 GOP Home members have immediately stated or strongly indicated that they won’t assist McCarthy for speaker, and extra have made calls for for the following individual within the position. With Republicans solely holding a slim majority within the Home subsequent session, McCarthy may afford to lose not more than 4 votes to be able to win the speakership election, presuming each member of the Home is current and voting. 

The 5 opponents to McCarthy have stated they don’t plan to assist him however haven’t pointed to a transparent different who may win the speakership as an alternative. 

The signers of the letter stated no different conservative candidate may win the assist of 218 Republicans to develop into speaker apart from McCarthy. They famous that McCarthy has embraced a number of guidelines modifications that members have requested for the Republican convention and the Home as a complete. 

McCarthy has declared his assist for a number of guidelines modifications, together with a requirement that 72 hours go between when the ultimate textual content of a invoice is launched and when it receives a vote. He has additionally voiced assist for calls from some Home Republicans to dam legislative proposals from Senate Republicans who voted for the omnibus authorities funding invoice final week. 

However he instructed conservative radio present host Hugh Hewitt earlier this month that the 5 members haven’t moved on their opposition to his speakership. 

The signers of the letter stated they’re anxious among the guidelines modifications McCarthy has embraced may inadvertently give extra energy to Democrats within the minority, however they’ll assist the modifications in the event that they unite the Republican convention behind McCarthy. 

“It’s our honest hope that each one of us can unite and make sure that we get on with the enterprise of addressing the challenges going through the American individuals,” they stated.