(LifeSiteNews) – U.S. House Republicans voted to keep Kevin McCarthy as their leader, a move that is certain to alienate the GOP’s conservative base, especially after last week’s dashed expectations of a “red wave” election.
Despite calls for new GOP leadership on Capitol Hill by conservatives, House Republicans voted to maintain the status quo, in essence, to keep the leadership in place responsible for the Party’s recent epic failure at the polls.
USA Today reported:
Kevin McCarthy was elected by the GOP caucus to keep his job as Republican leader, making him the favorite to be the next speaker of the House.
McCarthy won the closed-door vote in convincing fashion, beating back a challenge by Arizona Republican Andy Biggs, a member of the ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus. Although McCarthy had won former President Donald Trump’s endorsement, some GOP hard-liners are wary of McCarthy.
Since election day, calls for the ouster of McCarthy, Sen. Mitch McConnell, and Republican Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel – known collectively as the three Mc’s – have grown stronger among the party’s base and non-establishment conservative pundits.
A headline at The Federalist published today blares, “Now Is The Time To Boot Failed GOP Leaders, Not Bicker About Trump Vs. DeSantis,” and continues with a subheading, “After a colossal failure in the midterms, the Republican Party desperately needs to overhaul its leadership.”
“Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell, and Ronna Romney McDaniel must go,” declared conservative commentator Eric Matheny on the morning after the election. “Their establishment interests do not align with the majority of American conservatives. GOP leadership needs to reflect modern day GOP values — not the values of the Bush era.”
Kevin McCarthy, Mitch McConnell, and Ronna Romney McDaniel must go. Their establishment interests do not align with the majority of American conservatives. GOP leadership needs to reflect modern day GOP values – not the values of the Bush era.
— Eric Matheny 🎙 (@EricMMatheny) November 9, 2022
“Instead of strong-arming Republicans on Capitol Hill for leadership votes, McConnell and McCarthy and McDaniel should’ve been on the ground in Arizona, Nevada and California stopping the steal,” tweeted conservative radio show host Todd Starnes. “The GOP doesn’t get a single penny from me until there’s a leadership change.”
Instead of strong-arming Republicans on Capitol Hill for leadership votes, McConnell and McCarthy and McDaniel should’ve been on the ground in Arizona, Nevada and California stopping the steal. The GOP doesn’t get a single penny from me until there’s a leadership change.
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) November 13, 2022
“McCarthy, McConnell and McDaniel could not even generate a Red Drip,” said Starnes in another Tweet. “It’s time for a McLeadership change.”
McCarthy, McConnell and McDaniel could not even generate a Red Drip. It’s time for a McLeadership change.
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) November 13, 2022
GOP House member Matt Gaetz posted a terse, four-word message on Twitter which gathered over 45,000 “Likes”:
McCarthy
McConnell
McDaniel
McFailure
McCarthy
McConnell
McDanielMcFailure
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) November 10, 2022
The official vote to choose the next Speaker of the House won’t take place until early January after the new, 118th Congress, is sworn in, so it’s possible that GOP House members could select someone else to replace Nancy Pelosi.
Rep. Gaetz assured Charlie Kirk before the vote, “There are definitely more than five members of Congress who would rather be waterboarded by Liz Cheney than vote Kevin McCarthy for Speaker of the House, and I’m one of them.”
In the end, the 31 members voted against McCarthy and 188 voted to affirm his continued leadership position.
“Losing 31 means he is in serious danger of not having the votes in January which would mean he’d need to drop out either that day or he could decide to before,” a senior aide to GOP leadership told Fox News. “At that point, others would pounce.”
We’ll see how much of a clamor among the GOP base, especially MAGA Republicans, will follow in the aftermath of today’s vote.