Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), the House Minority Leader, recently announced his intent to try and take the role of House Speaker from Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) as the top legislator in the chamber.
Despite the expected red wave showing to be much smaller than previously thought, many Republicans seem to be ready to take control of the House of Representatives as the votes for a score of races still need to be counted. McCarthy who previously served in the House back in 2007, issued congratulations to his new colleagues for their various gains as part of a letter issued Wednesday which also sounded the call for additional support.
“I am determined to ensure that this majority reaches its full potential. I will be a listener every bit as much as a Speaker, striving to build consensus from the bottom-up rather than commanding the agenda from the top-down,” he stated in the letter. “That means putting the right people in the right spots and harnessing the power of our entire conference. Everyone has something valuable to bring to the table and my door will always be open to your ideas and input on how we best achieve our shared goals.”
As the first woman to hold the position of Speaker of the House, Pelosi has been marked as the lead Democrat within the chamber for close to 20 years. She had maintained control of the seat from 2007 to 2011 while working alongside President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama, and again took control of the post in 2019 in the wake of Democrats once again gaining control of the chamber while the Oval Office was run by President Donald Trump. The legislators stated that prior to the elections the recent attack on her husband, Paul Pelosi, within the San Francisco home of the pair, could end up altering her choice to retire should Democrats manage to falter in their control of the House.
It has been marked, however, that McCarthy does not sport a universal badge of support from his fellow Republicans, which could end up motivating his early push to garner support. A Wednesday report from CNN highlighted that roughly two dozen members of the House Freedom Caucus are prepared to vote against McCarthy if he does not come forth with some concessions. Tucker Carlson, a host for Fox News, is slated to issue the keynote speech at the group’s orientation for new members on Thursday night, as expressed in a report from The Daily Caller.
McCarthy promised that he would “immediately reopen the Capitol and end the Democrat proxy voting and remote work schemes that have inflicted untold damage to this institution,” along with making sure to “go toe-to-toe” against the Biden admin.
“We will begin and end each day with a singular focus: serving the needs of our fellow citizens,” McCarthy went on. “Their voice is now our vote — and we will not be afraid to push the envelope when it comes to delivering an economy that’s strong, a nation that’s safe, a future that’s built on freedom, and a government that’s accountable. I sincerely hope President Biden is willing to embrace those same objectives. If not, he should count on us taking our case directly to the American people in every corner of this great country. Plan on spending a significant amount of time outside the Beltway and on the ground the next two years as we draw a clear contrast between our vision and the Democrats’ while laying the foundation for a Republican to win back the White House in 2024.”
