Kevin McCarthy may be getting desperate [View all]

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https://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/kevin-mccarthy-possibly-getting-desperate-17618225.php?IPID=SFGate-HP-CP-Spotlight



There are only two uncalled congressional races in the 2022 midterms, but even if both go Republicans' way, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy seems to have a math problem in his quest to become House speaker.

Assuming Republicans hang on to their narrow leads in both California's 13th District and Colorado's 3rd District, the GOP would have a 222-213 majority in the next Congress. That means McCarthy can suffer only four Republican defections in the speaker vote scheduled for Jan. 3. There are already five Republican congressmen who say they will not back the California Republican. If all five remain steadfast in voting against McCarthy, he's toast.



Earlier this month, Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon, a moderate Republican, told NBC News he would consider teaming up with Democrats in voting for someone other than McCarthy if the caucus can't secure 218 votes for McCarthy alone. That scenario is why Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, an on-and-off McCarthy foe, is backing him for speaker and urging her colleagues to do the same. Greene specifically warned that Democrats and moderate Republicans could nominate outgoing Rep. Liz Cheney for speaker, as the speaker does not need to be a sitting member of Congress.

Some of her colleagues don't care.

"There are definitely at least five people, actually a lot more than that, who would rather be waterboarded by Liz Cheney than vote for Kevin McCarthy for speaker of the House," Gaetz said.

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OOOOooooh, "waterboarded".. good one, Matt.