Kean and Taylor Greene Denied as McCarthy Loses Again
Tom Kean, Jr. of New Jersey, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and others looked on helplessly as the GOP continued to exhibit fracture on the subject of the hour, namely one man’s dream for the speakership of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Kean Jr.’s and Taylor Green’s choice, Kevin McCarthy, didn’t just measure the drapes, but actually moved into the speaker’s office, a now infamously precipitous act, as it turned out, as McCarthy – a Republican representative from California – this afternoon lost his bid for the speakership of the U.S. House of Representatives for a fifth time.
Heading a group of 20, U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, Republican of Texas earlier this afternoon put the name of fellow Republican, U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, into nomination for speaker.
“They want a new face, vision and leadership and I believe that new face, vision and leadership is Byron Donalds,” said Roy, who had previously backed U.S. Rep. Jim Jordans for speaker.
His initial endorsement proved complicated, because – as U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) noted – Jordan didn’t seek the speakership.
Jordan backed embattled McCarthy for the job.
Searching for 218, McCarthy could not afford to lose four votes, and on the fifth ballot, Donalds – his name put in nomination by that clutch of GOP lawmakers on the right – had received five votes and counting.
Donald would go on to receive 20 votes.
McCarthy received 201, his late Wednesday top-out.
Democrat Hakeem Jeffries received 212.
U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz voted “present.
As McCarthy flailed, and the U.S. House of Representatives prepared to head into the chamber for a fourth roll call on speaker earlier today, U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-12) said the GOP again has undertaken a strategy of bedlam at the Capitol.
“What I see is chaos in the absence of any workable plan,” Watson Coleman told InsiderNJ. “The Republicans [in the House] are interested in being vengeful, dismantling and chaotic.
“I listen to what McCarthy said, and even though I don’t consider him a person yoked to honesty and truth, he said he’s not going to step away. There are lots of reasons people are not supporting him; what more he could possibly promise?”
McCarthy has already made “many concessions to weaken the power of the speakership and empower the rank-and-file through a rules package that would change the way the House operates – a move to cater to the hardliners who have demanded more say in the new Congress,” according to CNN. “In one key concession, he has agreed to significantly lower the threshold to now allow a bloc of just five members to call for a vote seeking the ouster of a sitting speaker.”
The New Jersey GOP delegation – Kean, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, and Van Drew – had stuck with McCarthy for two days, with the next stage of the process uncertain.
Democrats from New Jersey – U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell and U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross (pictured, below) – could be seen huddling and laughing while the GOP dangled.
The House voted to adjourn until 8 p.m. Wednesday.
More later.
Expell Marjorie Taylor Greene from Congress. We don’t want Election deniers and liars, such as Kevin McCarthy as well.