Last Updated on January 3, 2023
After weeks of hinting that she may be willing to join the five House Freedom Caucus members who have pledged to vote “no” on Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) for Speaker, U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) has announced that she is indeed in the “no” camp just hours before the crucial vote. Boebert, like a number of McCarthy dissenters, has criticized the current House Minority Leader for his unwillingness to amend Pelosi era House rules. The two reportedly had a heated discussion at the GOP conference meeting on Tuesday morning, multiple sources have reported.
As it stands, I will not be voting for Kevin McCarthy to be Speaker of the House. pic.twitter.com/rUDuHS45hH
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) January 3, 2023
Five House Freedom Caucus members, including U.S. Reps. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Matt Rosendale (R-MT), Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Bob Good (R-VA) have for weeks stated that they will not support McCarthy without significant concessions.
The group has long stated that there will be more McCarthy detractors as the crucial vote nears, and that appears to now be the case.
In addition to Boebert’s announcement — which came after McCarthy reportedly yelled and screamed at his detractors in a closed-door meeting — a number of other House Freedom Caucus members have made their intentions clear.
U.S. Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) previously penned a letter signed by nine caucus members calling on McCarthy to significantly amend his rules package or face a challenge. “In his 14 years in Republican Leadership, McCarthy has repeatedly failed to demonstrate any desire to meaningfully change the status quo in Washington,” Perry said in a statement released Tuesday morning. “Despite our deep reservations we have continued to work in earnest to find a path forward with McCarthy, knowing that this crucial moment would come.”
U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC) has also signaled that he will oppose McCarthy, spelling big trouble for the California congressman.
McCarthy can only afford four Republican defectors before his bid likely stalls out.
