The near-meteoric rise of House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy on Capitol Hill may have one more stop: the position of Speaker of the House. More and more Republicans have soured on the leadership of John Boehner and some of them have been holding internal talks about a new coalition that would have McCarthy at the top and more conservative members occupying lower rungs on the leadership ladder.
One Freedom Caucus member involved in the discussions was said to have personally informed McCarthy over the summer recess that the Bakersfield politician could have his support for the top job—third in line to the Oval Office—in the event that Boehner resigns or is forced out this fall.
“I don’t think [McCarthy] is plotting. I don’t think he’s trying to aid and abet,” said the conservative lawmaker. “I just think he is trying to figure out where everyone is. I volunteered to him that, under the right circumstances, I could vote for him as Speaker.”
Boehner has brushed off comments about any impending resigation or removal or that he has lost control of his 246-member conference, telling reporters recently that he has “widespread support amongst my members.” His spokeswoman Emily Schillinger made clear last week that the Speaker “is not going anywhere.”
Tea Party rebels in the GOP conference have been targeting Boehner since he was elected to the position in 2010. Lately, a number of conservatives have threatened to depose the Ohio Republican, if he doesn’t stand with them in a plan to defund Planned Parenthood in this month’s budget showdown.
GOP leaders face an Oct. 1 deadline to approve a bill to keep the government open, but because a funding bill that blocked money for Planned Parenthood could not pass the Senate, House Republicans have no clear path forward to do so without working with Democrats—something that political analysts believe may spur a conservative revolt against Boehner.
The Freedom Caucus has strong leverage in the House: between 40 to 50 members form the conservative bloc which could essentially veto any nominee for Speaker simply by withholding all of their votes.
