Key McCarthy Ally Appears Ready to Throw in the Towel: ‘More Than Four’ Who Will ‘Never Vote’ for Him

An ally of Kevin McCarthy appeared ready to throw in the towel despite the massive concessions the California Republican made to the hard right-wing base of the House GOP in an attempt to become Speaker.

Between Tuesday and Wednesday, McCarthy failed on six ballots to get the necessary 218 votes to get the gavel. With 222 Republicans in the House, McCarthy cannot afford to lose more than four of them. A seventh ballot is set to occur on Thursday at noon.

According to The Washington Post, during late-night negotiations:

McCarthy offered to lower from five to one the number of members required to sponsor a resolution to force a vote on ousting the speaker — a change that the California Republican had previously said he would not accept.

McCarthy also expressed a willingness to place more members of the conservative Freedom Caucus on the House Rules Committee, which debates legislation before it’s moved to the floor.

And he relented on allowing floor votes to institute term limits on members and to enact specific border policy legislation.

Nonetheless, Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH), a key McCarthy ally who is a member of the Freedom Caucus, told CNN on Thursday that “there are more than four” who will “never vote” for him:

I think for some people — I mean, the reality is, there are some people who, in their estimation, there’s no way they’re going to be able to support Kevin McCarthy and some of the people who, you know, may have been willing to get behind Kevin McCarthy at some point maybe the week before or the day before, and for a few people, maybe even the morning of that first vote on Jan. 3, kind of hardened up to say there’s no way they’re going to support Kevin McCarthy. The tough part is I think the number that will never vote for Kevin McCarthy is more than four.

Watch above via CNN.