Top GOPs Back McCarthy as Next House Speaker

Two top Republican lawmakers expressed confidence in House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to become the House speaker, as the party is taking the lower chamber early next year after four years in the minority.

Both Reps. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and Michael Turner (R-Ohio), the potential next chairmen of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Intelligence Committee, said they believe the current House minority leader would get the top spot next January when the 118th Congress kicks off.

“And the fact is, what’s the alternative?” McCaul told ABC‘s Martha Raddatz on Sunday, during his appearance alongside Turner, asked about whether McCarthy would secure the votes.

“Kevin has proven to be the leader of the Republican House and I do think he will get the votes to 218 on Jan. 3,” McCaul continued, while claiming the top Republican “has worked harder than any other candidate for Speaker.”

His colleague echoed a similar opinion. “He is the leader. He’s been the leader of our team. And he’s going to stay the leader of our team,” Turner added. “I certainly look forward to when we get past Jan. 3 to get to work, and get these committees back to doing the jobs that they are supposed to do,” he said.

A 188–31 vote for McCarthy gave him the Republican nomination, putting him in line to be the next speaker in a GOP-controlled House in January. Yet as the party moving down track to seize 222 seats in the U. S. House, a growing list of Republican lawmakers have vocally speaken against him, including Reps. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Chip Roy (R-Texas), and Ralph Norman (R-S.C.).... (Read more)

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