House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer says he would be “surprised” if Kevin McCarthy weren’t the next House Speaker, but refuses to say if he’s up to the job
- Steny Hoyer would be “surprised” if Kevin McCarthy wasn’t the next speaker
- The Democratic leader of the House of Representatives declined to say whether McCarthy is up to the task
- Tuesday’s election will determine the next person to lead the House of Representatives
- At least five Republican lawmakers say they plan to vote against McCarthy
- The 118th Congress begins Jan. 3 and calls for a Republican majority
Steny Hoyer said he would be surprised if Republican leader Kevin McCarthy weren’t elected by his party as the next House Speaker – but didn’t say if he was up to the task.
McCarthy’s influence in the GOP will be tested this week when elections are held as to who will be speaker of the House of Representatives for the 118th Congress.
It comes as a handful of Republican officials have banded together to try to block McCarthy from rising to the speakership.
‘I’d be surprised if he doesn’t [win]Hoyer told CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday morning. ‘My expectation – he will be spokesman.’
The new Congress will convene Tuesday, January 3 and see Republicans regain control of the lower house — but not the Senate.
Democratic House Speaker Steny Hoyer said Sunday he would be “surprised” if Kevin McCarthy weren’t elected by his party to be the next House Speaker
Tuesday’s election will determine whether McCarthy will take the top role in the House of Representatives in the 118th Congress that begins Jan. 3, in which Republicans will regain the majority
Despite the GOP retaking the House, members see a rift between some far-right lawmakers within the party who claim there needs to be a restructuring of leadership.
McCarthy, a California congressman, faces a speaker pick challenge from Arizona Republican Representative Andy Biggs.
Biggs, along with Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Bob Good of Virginia and Matt Rosendale of Montana, have publicly expressed plans to vote against McCarthy in the Jan. 3 election.
With the exception of Gaetz, four of the members are on the House Freedom Caucus.
Arizona GOP Rep. Andy Biggs has launched a bid against McCarthy for speaker — and has the backing of four other Republican lawmakers who want to prevent McCarthy from winning
The five lawmakers have organized to try to block McCarthy from collecting the 218 votes needed to take the gavel from outgoing Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. They have also vowed not to have McCarthy pick them up individually and said they would discuss any concessions he offered.
The 118th Congress has 222 House Republicans, meaning McCarthy can only afford to lose four votes if he wants to win his bid.
When asked if McCarthy had what it takes to be a speaker, Hoyer said, “We’ll see.”
Hoyer added if McCarthy wins the election, it will be proof he can at least work against the odds.
“He obviously has — if he gets 218 votes — the ability to garner the votes to become party leader,” Hoyer told CNN. “And then he’ll be tested to see if he can lead or not.”
‘But you know, he worked pretty hard on it. He came close to the Holy Grail and had to take a step back. He didn’t give up, he kept going. And it seems to me that he will be the speaker.’
Hoyer says he has a good “working relationship” with McCarthy.