Former Trump Official Warns ‘Kevin McCarthy is in Serious Trouble’ for House Speaker Role
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A former senior Trump official has warned that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) “is in serious trouble” for getting the House Speaker’s gavel were the GOP to take back the lower congressional chamber, as it looks likely to be case.
In a Twitter thread on Thursday, Russ Vought, who was Office of Management and Budget Director in the Trump White House, explained why.
“It starts with the fundamentals. The vote for Speaker is not behind closed doors. It is on the floor of the House of Representatives. There is no lying back home about how one voted. And all Dems vote against the GOP nominee, always,” he tweeted.
Vought explained that the expected small GOP House majority won’t leave a lot of wiggle room for McCarthy to lose votes to become Speaker.
“House conservatives will not need a majority to prevail. They merely need to block & veto until they get an acceptable candidate. Exactly how many depends on the final slim majority, but it will not be a lot.
“Conservatives will have a difficult (I would say impossible) time explaining a vote for McCarthy back home for many reasons, but mainly for being a peace-time leader when we are in a cold civil war who will manage the GOP away from conflict instead of seizing it by the throat,” he tweeted.
Vought noted there are House Republicans who could pose a nightmare to McCarthy: Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Bob Good (R-VA) and Chip Roy (R-TX).
“In other words, the fundamentals present a cartel-busting vote, and all you need is a few members to go public. We already have that in @mattgaetz @bobgood@chiproytx. That number will grow as members come off the trail. The trend lines are already in our direction,” he tweeted.
Vought called for a course change in who’ll become House Speaker.
“Today is for thanking those already gone public. Build the numbers of members who want change & publicly say they are against McCarthy today. Talk of the replacement candidate comes next & at the moment, thwarts the momentum needed to build the fight,” he posted.
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