House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy becoming House Speaker has come into question as current House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested McCarthy didn’t have the votes to secure the gavel.
Republicans were forecasted to gain a strong majority in the House but following the midterms, the margin of a GOP House majority has been significantly diminished, though they are expected to claim the majority.
Amid the tight House race, Pelosi suggested on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday (November 13) that McCarthy may not have enough votes from his caucus to secure the role of House Speaker.
At first, Pelosi queried why she should “make a judgment about something that may or may not ever happen,” yet added that she didn’t believe McCarthy has the votes to become House Speaker.
To become House Leader, McCarthy would have to win a majority in a closed-door election among GOP House lawmakers. To become Speaker, he’ll have to secure 218 votes or more in a bipartisan election.
Since the path to a House majority will be tighter for Republicans, McCarthy won’t be able to lose more than a handful of votes from the Republican caucus.
McCarthy has been vigorously trying to shore up support for his bid to become House Speaker. Those who support him believe his victory is secure. But to obtain victory, he’ll likely have to agree to a long list of rule changes the Freedom Caucus is pursuing.
Chair of the Freedom Caucus, Scott Perry (R-Pa.), noted that the changes the group was requesting ensured “every member of Congress is treated fairly and equally.”
However, even if McCarthy agrees to the changes, he may still face opposition from within the GOP, as Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.), a member of the Freedom Caucus, told Fox News that there would “absolutely” be a challenger for McCarthy.
