House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy is moving aggressively to lock up support to succeed House Speaker John Boehner after making his candidacy official in a letter to fellow lawmakers.
Most political analysts consider McCarthy the clear favorite to take over – and it could be a disaster for social conservatives.
The California lawmaker has received terrible ratings from many conservative organizations that have analyzed his support of core Republican principles. Conservative Review has McCarthy rated as a solid F for voting record, scoring 45%.
Even worse, McCarthy is considered more liberal than Boehner.
Conservative group FreedomWorks has Boehner’s lifetime conservative track record at 89%. McCarthy is rated a much lower 64%, far behind dozens of other House members.
As House Republicans prepared for a special closed-door meeting Tuesday evening to discuss their path forward, a question consuming the Capitol is what the House Freedom Caucus will do. The band of 30 or so hardline conservatives who drove Boehner out by threatening a floor vote on his speakership does not have the strength to field a candidate of its own.
Some of the more establishment-minded Republicans are disgusted with the Freedom Caucus crowd over their role in pushing Boehner out. They argue such behavior could hurt the party’s presidential chances and are warning against any further such antics when McCarthy’s election for speaker is held, once Boehner leaves Congress at the end of next month.
“If you’ve just threatened one speaker with this and then you turn around before he’s even done anything and threaten the next speaker with this, it’s pretty clear to everyone else in the conference the speaker’s not the problem — you’re the problem,” said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., a Boehner ally.
McCarthy has been endorsed by Boehner and is the heavy favorite.
The Associated Press contributed to this article
Boehner and McConnell are the problem. They have led the sell out of the conservative American citizens through the entire Obama path to the toilet drain period. McCarthy will just continue the same old same old. The conservatives in the House had better come up with a new strategy to stop the madness. How about sending out the “research team” to find the skeletons in McCarthy’s closet. He’s a politician, you know there must be skeletons.
We don’t need McCarthy either. There are lots better choices than him.
You are correct, Michael Fulton. McCarthy is a RINO from California and is an ally of Boehner. The problem with the House and Senate is the same; to many RINOs or if you prefer Establishment Republicans. What more needs to be said?
why don’t all the so called liberal republicans and so called moderate republicans just become democrats. They are anti-liberty and big government supporters any way.
Rep. McCarthy may have trouble holding onto power if he gets too liberal. Over the years Speaker Boehner had the opportunity to reward his supporters and punish his detractors. The next speaker will not immediately have that ability. Whoever replaces Boehner needs to work with all factions of House Republicans or they may find their tenure is short and tumultuous.
THE AMERICAN VOTERS NEED THE ADDRESS TO THE G.O.P. SO THEY CAN PUT IN THEIR COMMENTS, EMAIL YOUR REPUBLICAN CONGRESS PERSON ,IF YOU HAVE ONE, GOUDY OR SOMEONE LIKE HIM ,ONE THAT IS NOT IN THE POCKET OF THE COMMUNISTS. TELL THEM THAT MORE OF THE SAME IS NOT GOING TO WORK…AMERICA HASEN’T USED THE FIRING SQUAD FOR A LONG TIME , IT IS ABOUT TIME FOR SOME WEEDING-OUT OF THE TRAITORS IN GOVERNMENT..
It’s LONG past time to give traitors their reward!
WE NEED A FIRESQUAD. TO MANY COMUNIST IN EE.UU.
If McCarthy becomes Speaker of the House, I will no longer support the Republican party. Why won’t they listen to the voters?
Because they are too chicken and it’s more profitable for them.
The RINOs are incorrect! We need a strong conservative Republican (probably a Tea Party Candidate) to stand up to the Democrats and lead our country in the right direction. Their statement that the conservative Republicans are the problem is a LIE! The Establishment is the problem. McCarthy is NOT the answer. The conservative Republicans must do what the establishment is doing and come up with some “back room” planning to beat the establishment at their own game.
It is time for the representatives of the people to do what the people elected them to do–protect our Constitutional rights, cutback on “big Government” and ensure the safety of our country from enemies within and without. Unfortunately, Obama is the greatest danger we face!
Great presntation!!
A big MESS! Who says a third party creates a bigger one? These rhino’s supports extreme left winger disasters, a third party can apply the brakes! Look at Wilders party in the Netherlands.
IF HE IS FROM CALIF. HE IS A LIBERAL. COME ON TEA PARTY GET IN THERE.
The Speaker of the House does not have to be an elected member of Congress! Therefore WE the People, not the Tea Party or any other questionable faction should press for a Speaker who holds no allegiance to the President or anyone else in Congress; who would do the bidding of the people not one to pad their pocket for a comfortable retirement at the tax payers.
And who would those people be? Names?? Someone should know. Perhaps
some Honest Republicans will reveal themselves and give us some names of
Honest People who could LEAD!! There must be other people like Trump, Carson, and Cruz who stand for the Truth and a purer for the people ,by the people US Government. Hopefully not all the present government officials are corrupt?? We need some true Patriots who understand the Constitution
and will abide by its laws. Thank you for providing his spot for all to express themselves!!
Great, going from bad to worse!….This scenario only gets worse with time….Let the people elect a new speaker….If he/she doesn’t do as promised, then We The People can have them recalled immediately…Sooner or later we’ll find someone who will live up to their promises.
My take on this is that every present republican in congress that is so afraid of the conservatives needs to be voted out the next election, and the rest the election after. The republicans are just the democrats under another name right now. It seems that no matter who you vote for, you get a spend and tax liberal. Why no one in Washington can not see that they are destroying the nation with unsustainable debt payments is beyond me. Apparently when a politician crosses the city limit sign in D C they go brain dead. My theory is that the senators should be limited to one 6 year term, the representatives to 3 two year terms, and when they leave office they get 3 months severance pay, then work or starve, no special health care, no special exemptions from the laws they have passed, and when they retire from the work force they are on Social Security. Also any congress member that takes a bribe, or uses their office to enrich themselves is executed as a traitor, and any congress member that has served is never allowed to become a lobbyist.
I’d like to see Trey Gowdy get picked for the position. We need somebody who won’t give up, and go all the way. Don’t worry about whether or not Obama will VETO something. Just get it done and put it on his desk. Then he will bear the responsibility for it, one way or another. John B. was such a pansy.
I’m with you Trey it is going to be hard to bs Trey. He will take an issue to its eventual solution. He will fight for what he believes in.
Amen to Missourisam!
We all need to flood our Elected representatives in both the Senate and the House and tell Congress that we do not want McCarthy via email so they HEAR from WE THE PEOPLE. McCarthy will further destroy our nation. GOD PLEASE HELP US WE ARE SORRY FOR WE HAVE SINNED AGAINST YOU BY DESECRATING YOUR LAWS. Give us GOD-fearing leaders who will uphold our Judeo-Christian heritage! Amen maranantha.
Instead of bemoaning Boehners exit and already the Reps are preparing the hari kari sword to self destruct, why on earth do they not get the point the middle-of-the-road RINOS are extinct with the main-stay of the Republican party! Are they that stupid? We have had all we will take of continuing Obama and the looney left agenda! They better take note! I and others like me have had it with accepting the ilk policies that are being supported by the mainstream Reps! Get the Hell out!! We are tired of the idea of just getting along until after the election! Impeachment needed to start last election cycle of this imposter President and his minions! Why do they not understand this closet Muslim needs to GO! So does OBAMA CARE! So does the genocide being done to the dark skinned Americans self-called Afro-Americans. Nineteen Hundred black infants aborted daily and their body parts auctioned off to the highest bidder is a disgrace! Obama and the NAACP don’t seem to mind this at all! I am white and mind a lot! You cannot get any crazier than what is happening daily with this; the enemy of the Constitution of the United States! For God’s sake wake up Republicans or get the Hell out of the way!
I get letters from the RNSC all the time asking for money. I never send them any but I do answer their questions and I do rank the important things I want them to do in the congress. I end my return to them with “Remember Mississippi” “Remember Chris McDaniel”. I do not trust my party to do the right thing with my money. I send it directly to the people I trust. I always say “get rid of bonehead Boehner” and “Ditch Mitch Obama’s Bitch”. I wish everyone would do the same. Support the Tea Party and the Madison Project.
We need to replace all the RINOs (republicrats) in the next election.