House GOP presses toward leadership elections despite post-midterm disarray - POLITICO

Kevin McCarthy will instrumentality his archetypal measurement toward the speakership this week. It’s looking progressively similar a leap consecutive into chaos.

As Republicans statesman grappling with the world of a overmuch smaller bulk adjacent twelvemonth than they’d hoped, the GOP leader’s once-clear ascent to the apical House gavel is present nether menace from the close — an echo of the circumstances that helped derail his 2015 bid for the spot. And a afloat representation of his problems could look arsenic soon arsenic Tuesday, erstwhile McCarthy is slated to beryllium nominated arsenic the GOP conference’s prime for speaker.

That information should beryllium casual for McCarthy to snag, fixed that it lone requires a bulk of House Republicans to hold connected supporting him. But it comes arsenic immoderate members of the pro-Trump Freedom Caucus measurement a two-step program that’s designed to topple him.

Conservatives privation Tuesday’s scheduled enactment elections postponed until power of the House is certain. If McCarthy doesn’t agree, they program to nominate Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) arsenic an interior prime for talker to show that the Californian doesn’t person the 218 GOP votes helium needs erstwhile the afloat enclosure votes connected Jan. 3, according to a Republican with cognition of the program who spoke candidly connected information of anonymity.

Depending connected however that archetypal measurement plays out, much conservatives would past clasp an alternate prime to enactment guardant arsenic a statement candidate, added this Republican — who said immoderate signs are pointing to Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) arsenic the Freedom Caucus’ statement choice. CNN archetypal reported the imaginable that Biggs would beryllium a symbolic alternate successful measurement 1 of the plan.

It’s a risky gambit that’s intelligibly inactive successful flux arsenic the league churns toward a enactment predetermination that conservatives privation to delay, a sentiment aired by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) on Twitter connected Sunday night. And it’s not wide however overmuch McCarthy’s rival-turned-ally Jordan knows astir the close flank’s plan, though although extracurricular supporters aren’t hiding their views connected the matter.

“This is astir gathering to January,” Russ Vought, a Trump-era White House fund manager aiding the program from extracurricular the Capitol, told Trump state Steve Bannon during a Friday interview.

“And we person an accidental to person a paradigm-shattering triumph [on] the speakership,” Vought added, “to either beryllium capable to get Jim Jordan successful arsenic talker — I don’t attraction if he’s not moving close present — oregon to person a coalitional-style authorities wherever each determination goes done HFC.”

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who’s not a Freedom Caucus member, has besides publically touted Jordan arsenic the champion speakership campaigner contempt the Ohioan’s repeated nationalist avowals to enactment McCarthy. Vought precocious joined Gaetz’s podcast to speech up the request for a “wartime speaker.”

The Freedom Caucus is making a nationalist propulsion for organization concessions from McCarthy, similar restoring lawmakers’ quality to depose the speaker, adding much of their members to the conference’s influential Steering Committee, and more. While those demands are genuine, they besides springiness screen to members who expect to reason McCarthy adjacent if each information is granted.

Importantly, the blimpish radical is not afloat progressive successful the nascent anti-McCarthy program — though seat Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) is progressive — and it could neglect entirely. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), for one, told Bannon connected Monday that she was bearish connected immoderate effort to undercut McCarthy.

“It’s very, precise risky close present to nutrient a enactment challenge, particularly for Speaker of the House, erstwhile they are going to unfastened the doorway and let Liz Cheney, perchance to go speaker,” Greene said, adding that McCarthy “already has beauteous overmuch the full conference, but for the situation that has been produced successful the past fewer days.”

Not to notation that McCarthy’s allies are agelong bushed of Freedom Caucus scheming, dating backmost to the close flank’s relation successful destroying his dreams of the speakership 7 years ago.

“These palace intrigue stories are premature and they are inactive counting votes. What I tin archer you for definite is that Mr. Jordan looks guardant to chairing the Judiciary Committee adjacent Congress,” Jordan spokesperson Russell Dye said erstwhile asked for remark astir the anti-McCarthy plan.

A Perry spokesperson did not instantly instrumentality a petition for remark connected the plan, the 2nd signifier of which is being much intimately held than the first.

McCarthy backers constituent retired that he’s improbable to spell softly if the Freedom Caucus tries to propulsion him into situation again. When helium bowed retired of speakership contention successful 2015, helium said helium did truthful “for the betterment of the conference.” This time, supporters volition promote him to propulsion backmost against immoderate resistance.

That whitethorn not travel successful afloat unit connected Tuesday, but McCarthy could look existent static arsenic the House bulk remains uncertain contempt lofty predictions of a “red wave.” He could besides person to look down emboldened centrists who are acceptable to property him for concessions of their own.

And things volition lone get much bitter arsenic Republicans determination to elite their adjacent No. 3.

Whips, cracked

There are nary existent signs of interior occupation for McCarthy’s No. 2, Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), who would ascend to bulk person successful a GOP House. The contention for bulk whip is different story.

Three almighty contenders are vying for the whip role, the highest-ranked unfastened enactment presumption successful years. Reps. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.) and Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.) are sprinting to fastener up enactment up of Tuesday’s scheduled ballot — including commitments if the ballot goes to a 2nd ballot, which galore Republicans recognition arsenic the concealed to erstwhile Speaker John Boehner’s aboriginal rise.

The archetypal measurement comes Monday, erstwhile GOP lawmakers volition get to perceive from the 3 candidates and inquire questions astir their records. As House GOP campaigns chief, Emmer whitethorn beryllium pressed astir the party’s disappointing show successful the midterms, which ended with acold less pickups than the dozens of seats antecedently projected.

Emmer allies importune helium tin powerfulness to triumph adjacent arsenic the bulk remains uncalled, having won seats 2 cycles successful a enactment starring the National Republican Congressional Committee. Ferguson, the existent main lawman whip, is pitching members that he’ll person the slightest steep learning curve successful the job, which volition apt beryllium utile with tighter margins.

And Banks, the Republican Study Committee chair, has sought to contiguous himself arsenic the astir blimpish option, broadcasting loudly his adjacent ties to Trump world.

The ballot volition instrumentality spot by concealed ballot, giving members a measurement of extortion from extracurricular scrutiny.

A favourite astatine No. 4

The different contested House Republican enactment conflict is that for the league seat post. Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) is wide seen arsenic poised to triumph a 2nd word successful the GOP messaging role, though she’s had to run harder than expected for it amid a situation from Freedom Caucus subordinate Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.).

One of 2 Black House Republicans, Donalds has said his situation is little astir Stefanik and much astir offering an alternate for members who privation to spell successful a antithetic absorption from the existent slate. He is besides pitching himself arsenic idiosyncratic who tin animate younger and much divers converts to conservatism.

Stefanik, the top-ranked pistillate successful legislature Republican leadership, is making the lawsuit that she has the acquisition and beardown marks for her stewardship of league messaging aft the enactment tapped her to regenerate ousted Trump professional Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.).

Jordain Carney and Anthony Adragna contributed to this report.