McCarthy’s Speakership is always in danger, but he recently won a victory.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy Survives Debt Ceiling Vote
Well, that was a plot twist for the mainstream media. How many times has the media written House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s political obituary? They were doing so up until the moment on Wednesday evening when the House passed a plan—with an overwhelming majority of Republicans backing the measure—to suspend the debt ceiling for two years.
The House of Representatives has approved a debt ceiling and budget cuts package, as President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy assembled a coalition of centrist Democrats and Republicans against conservative blowback and progressive dissent. https://t.co/19JINreaD3
— The Associated Press (@AP) June 1, 2023
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy attempted to strike a careful balance in negotiations over averting a federal default: he could lose conservatives’ votes but could not afford to reach a deal that so infuriated the far right that they would move to oust him.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy attempted to strike a careful balance in negotiations over averting a federal default: he could lose conservatives’ votes but could not afford to reach a deal that so infuriated the far right that they would move to oust him. https://t.co/qgjNcekWTD
— The New York Times (@nytimes) May 31, 2023
“Anger over House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s deal with President Biden to raise the debt ceiling is bubbling over, with some conservative members threatening to oust McCarthy as speaker.”
The compromise has drawn the ire of right-wing Republicans, leaving open the possibility that its passage could jeopardize Mr. McCarthy’s standing on Capitol Hill, where any one lawmaker has the power to call a snap vote to oust him thanks to a rule Mr. McCarthy agreed to while he was grasping for support from the far right to be elected speaker in January.
There were rumblings of a revolt against the agreement by House Freedom Caucus members shortly after it was announced on Saturday night. While conservatives likely can’t kill the agreement on their own, they can make McCarthy’s life miserable depending on how far they take their displeasure.
The conservative unease with the agreement is raising the question of if McCarthy will soon face a vote to oust him as Speaker. During the drawn-out Speakership election in January, McCarthy agreed to lower the threshold to force a vote on ousting the Speaker — known as the motion to vacate the chair — from five members to just one.
The narrative began, of course, with the 15-round vote in early January that made McCarthy speaker.
Kevin McCarthy broke a century-long streak by losing the first round of the House speaker vote. Why, and what happens next? Here’s what to expect:https://t.co/QLmuOW4OgO
— The Week (@TheWeek) January 3, 2023
As Kevin McCarthy muddles through the fourth day of his anarchic battle for the House speakership, it remains as unclear as ever if the California Republican can muster the votes to prevail.
Breaking news: The House remained deadlocked as Republican leader Kevin McCarthy (Calif.) failed to sway hard-right Republicans and lost his eighth vote for speaker over the course of three days.https://t.co/w9i6D7Dbj3
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) January 5, 2023
Kevin McCarthy faces growing pressure to end the impasse over his imperiled speakership bid after two consecutive days of failed votes and patience wearing thin among lawmakers.
Kevin McCarthy faces growing pressure to end the impasse over his imperiled speakership bid after two consecutive days of failed votes and patience wearing thin among lawmakers https://t.co/wQLstqOzkK
— CNN (@CNN) January 5, 2023
Is Kevin McCarthy’s Speakership in Jeopardy?
For months, the press has been speculating about the fate of Kevin McCarthy’s speakership. In April, the initial debt ceiling battle sparked concerns about his ability to lead the Republican party.
WATCH: Could McCarthy’s speakership be in jeopardy with the debt ceiling fight?@GarrettHaake: “They’ve got to prove they can pass something. … I think there will be questions if he can’t get the vote through this week but I don’t know that this would be the end of the road.” pic.twitter.com/baR84uQgtI
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) April 24, 2023
But McCarthy proved his leadership skills by uniting House Republicans behind a bill and forcing President Joe Biden to the negotiating table.
In the end, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy lost just four Republicans — one less than he could afford — as the chamber voted 217-215 to pass his bill pairing a debt-ceiling hike with sweeping spending cuts.https://t.co/WvG1wxIlgA
— Axios (@axios) April 26, 2023
Despite this success, the media continues to speculate about McCarthy’s future as Speaker.
What the Media is Saying
- The New Yorker, April 28, 2023.
- CNN, April 24, 2023
- Axios, April 17th, 2023.
- CNN, April 27, 2023
- NBC News, May 8, 2023.
The New Yorker warns that McCarthy’s Speakership is at risk if he can’t cut a deal with Biden that satisfies hard-line House Republicans. CNN questions whether McCarthy can unite his party behind his efforts, while Axios suggests that his ability to pass a debt ceiling bill could determine the fate of the U.S. economy.
Meanwhile, CNN reports that McCarthy’s position as Speaker is already weak, and NBC News suggests that he could face a challenge from within his own party if he cuts a deal with Democrats that is seen as too liberal.
Calmes: Kevin McCarthy’s doomed debt ceiling deal https://t.co/e0NG87Bzqw
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) May 12, 2023
The countdown is on, the stakes are high – and there is still no debt limit deal.https://t.co/RM4hNV4IM6
— CNN (@CNN) May 22, 2023
As the media continues to speculate, only time will tell whether McCarthy can maintain his position as Speaker of the House.
Is Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s Speakership in Jeopardy?
Speaker Kevin McCarthy has been facing a lot of challenges lately, but the latest one could be the most serious yet. He recently released a bill to raise the debt limit and cap spending, based on an agreement between the White House and House Republicans. However, this has set up a fresh crisis that could bring down the speaker: a negotiated bill that could unravel thanks to a GOP “rebellion.”
Top House Republican Kevin McCarthy said he is ‘not at all’ worried about losing his speakership as a result of the debt-ceiling deal he cut with President Joe Biden https://t.co/Cprx5k8q5A pic.twitter.com/wPXVylcyv1
— Reuters (@Reuters) May 28, 2023
Despite the mounting criticism from Republican ranks over the debt ceiling deal, Speaker McCarthy remains confident that he won’t lose his speakership. However, some hard-line conservatives have begun floating the idea of toppling the speaker.
Speaker Kevin McCarthy releases bill to raise the debt limit and cap spending, based on the agreement between the White House and House Republicans. https://t.co/xPdYHRaxXN
— CNN (@CNN) May 29, 2023
McCarthy worked hard to appeal to the same forces that could potentially oust him from office. He agreed to revive a House rule that allows any single member to call for a vote to oust the speaker. Forcing him from office would require a majority vote, and that threat hangs over McCarthy at every step as he tries to manage a debt ceiling deal.
Sources:
As a former Republican White House official said over the weekend after the deal was announced: “McCarthy is now on a clock.” It remains to be seen whether he can weather this latest storm.
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story!
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