Had Not Thought Of This
I invited longtime Iowa Congressman Steve King as a guest on the national Todd Starnes Show yesterday; Todd has been kind enough to allow me to sit in for him this week. Congressman King knows first hand the retribution that can be dished out by Congressman Kevin McCarthy, who is the Republican House leader, but may not have the votes Tuesday to be named Speaker of the House.
That’s a position McCarthy has angled for for years. He was edged out when John Boehner left the post, and has worked mightily since then to make sure he got the job the next time it was open…which, of course, is now.
King documented the treatment he received at the hands of McCarthy in his book, “Walking Through The Fire,” available at steveking.com.
But one thing King noted in our radio interview had not occurred to me—that he could see McCarthy making deals with Democrats in order to have enough votes to be Speaker.
He only has four GOP votes to spare or else he won’t have a majority—218. But that presumes a full 435 members of the House. What if there are fewer members on hand? He only needs 50 percent plus 1 of those in attendance. And that led to the scenario King laid out.
What if McCarthy cuts deals with enough Democrats to sit out…not vote for him, or against him, or even vote ‘present’…but to simply leave the room when the vote for speaker is taken. The more Democrats leave the chamber, the lower the number of votes he needs—therefore perhaps getting not 218, but 50 percent plus 1.
It’s a brilliant, yet devious, strategy, and King says he wouldn’t put anything past McCarthy when it comes to holding the gavel. Imagine, though, what promises would have to be made to those Democrats…and how that might undermine the entire GOP caucus in the House.
But as noted, Rep. McCarthy is single minded…he wants to be Speaker, period. The question is that if a strategy like this is employed, what will be left to actually lead?
