Kevin McCarthy is staging a comeback, according to reports out of Capitol Hill.
As reported by NBC News, McCarthy is pitching a plan to become Speaker again and make Rep. Jim Jordan, a Trump supporter, the “Assistant Speaker.”
When asked why the idea was being brought up now, a GOP member said, “We’re desperate.”
“While the idea might seem far-fetched and it has not been pitched broadly within the GOP Conference, it is being discussed among some Republicans after Emmer, the third GOP nominee, dropped his bid,” the report said. “A source briefed on the idea likened it to the Speaker Nancy Pelosi/Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark arrangement that the Democrats had.”
There were two GOP members who said McCarthy had a “meltdown” in conference talks because he can’t choose a new leader himself. Sources say he had two “outbursts” today behind closed doors.
They were reportedly about his concerns about quickly moving to a vote for Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA), who came in second place to Emmer, the lawmakers said.
“This isn’t how you elect a speaker!” McCarthy insisted, a lawmaker said.
Tom Emmer, the GOP’s pick to replace Kevin McCarthy as Speaker, suddenly dropped out of the race on Tuesday after Donald Trump opposed his candidacy.
BREAKING.?
Tom Emmer, the GOP’s pick to replace Kevin McCarthy as Speaker, has dropped out of the race after Donald Trump opposed his candidacy.
“It looked like he didn’t have the math… Just a few minutes ago, Emmer bolted out here with some of his colleagues, didn’t say a… pic.twitter.com/BLibB4AVVu
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) October 24, 2023
“It looked like he didn’t have the math,” NBC News reported. “Just a few minutes ago, Emmer bolted out here with some of his colleagues, didn’t say a word to the cameras, and that’s about the time we learned that he had disclosed in the room that he was going be dropping out of the Speaker’s race.”
“He no longer saw a path. I think there was some acknowledgement that Donald Trump opposition to him was going to make this perhaps untenable.”
“Some of the opposition that started the day sort of softly opposed it, Tom Emmer was going to have a very difficult time backing out…”
Emmer has been criticized for supporting the abolition of the Electoral College, his unwavering support for Ukraine funding, defending Ilhan Omar, and vocally criticizing MAGA supporters. Donald Trump issued a blistering statement upon learning that Emmer had become the GOP’s favored candidate to become Speaker on Tuesday.
“I have many wonderful friends trying to be Speaker of the House, and some are truly great warriors. Tom Emmer is not one of them.”
Trump added: “Voting for a globalist RINO like Tom Emmer would be a tragic mistake!”
Noooooooooooooo!