Negotiations between Kevin McCarthy's supporters and detractors carried on into the wee hours of the morning. They were not limited to the parliamentary perimeter, but transcended the limits of the Capitol and the congressmen themselves to move to external offices. At one such meeting, the Club for Growth, which counts six members among the rebel representatives, and McCarthy's Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF) announced an agreement that they would support the Majority Leader's inauguration, estimating that as many as 10 maverick lawmakers could now support the official GOP nomination. However, the main "no" leaders, such as Andy Biggs, Matt Gaetz or Scott Perry, reaffirmed their rejection.
The number is still insufficient (at least six more would be needed to reach the required 218), but it is an important step forward for McCarthy's aspirations. According to the joint statement issued by the two organizations, the rebels would change the sign of their vote in exchange for the CLF fulfilling commitments regarding the financing of Republican candidates in the primaries. Thus, McCarthy-supporting super PAC chairman Dan Conston noted:
CLF will not spend in any open-seat primaries in safe Republican districts and CLF will not grant resources to other super PAC’s to do so. CLF has never spent a dollar against a Republican incumbent before and obviously will continue that policy in the future. CLF will continue to support incumbents in primaries as well as challengers in districts that affect the Majority, which proved to be critical to winning the Majority in 2022.
McCarthy accepts the main demands of the Freedom Caucus
David McInstosh, president of the Club for Growth, noted that "Leader McCarthy and their Members are working on a rules agreement that will comply with the principles we have set out above. Assuming these principles are met, the Club for Growth will endorse Kevin McCarthy for Speaker." The six congressmen who are part of the Club are Roy Chip, Anna Paulina Luna, Josh Brecheen, Andy Ogles, Mary Miller, and Dan Bishop.
The agreement was reached, according to sources close to the official candidate's entourage, after McCarthy accepted the main demands of the Freedom Caucus. That is, to reduce to one the number of members required to initiate the procedures for the removal of a speaker, inclusion of more Caucus members on key House committees, and a commitment to support with the votes of its supporters the bills on the border security and term limits for members of congress.
News: McCarthy proposes key concessions.
- allow just one member to call for a vote to oust a speaker, per two sources
- more members of Freedom Caucus to serve on powerful House Rules Committee
- Promises to vote on some bills like term limits and border securityw/@MZanona
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) January 5, 2023
Trump: "Very good things are happening."
As reported by CNN, Chip has told GOP leaders that he can get as many as 10 rebel representatives to vote for McCarthy on upcoming ballots, with one other simply saying "present" when it comes time to state the name of his choice. In addition, Miller echoed on Twitter, Donald Trump's post on Truth Social in which he congratulated himself because "very good things are happening behind the scenes for the Republican Party." The congresswoman thanked the former president for the publication and emphasizes that "with your leadership, we will make America great again (MAGA)."
Thank you President Trump! With your leadership, we will make America great again! pic.twitter.com/kisVGltr0M
— Mary Miller (@Miller_Congress) January 5, 2023
In his post, Trump celebrates that "intense but smart" ongoing negotiations are taking place among "GREAT and PATRIOTIC people" who "love our country," so "this 'event' will end up making the Republican Party STRONGER and more UNITED than ever before. OUR NATION IS AT STAKE. Stay tuned and MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!."
Never Kevin" keep the "no".
However, it is not yet the time for celebrations. Even if the 10 legislators singled out by Chip accept McCarthy, there are still 10 other rebels, including the original five "Never Kevin's" (Biggs, Gaetz, Bob Good, Matt Rosendale and Ralph Norman), plus Freedom Caucus leader Perry and Lauren Boebert. None of them were satisfied with the progress and continue to demand that McCarthy step back so that they can vote for a consensus candidate. Nor have statements by Dan CrenShaw, close to the majority leader, asserting that "we can't let the terrorists win" helped.
Crenshaw has now convinced himself that those who do not support McCarthy are "terrorists." https://t.co/q4bxnlmQoX
— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) January 4, 2023
