Democrats say Republicans fed up with Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) may vote for Trump as speaker.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), who led the second impeachment campaign against Trump, alluded to conservative Freedom Caucus complaints. The group apparently hasn’t settled on an alternate candidate, while some Democrats have expressed openness to a deal with McCarthy.
“There are pro-Trumpists in Kevin McCarthy’s House caucus who refuse to accept that he’s with Trump, and they want to get rid of McCarthy,” Raskin said on Face the Nation.
He informed the show’s moderator, Margaret Brennan, that Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) might swing the vote for other members. If they back McCarthy, they demand compromises.
“They might vote for Trump when they take the roll call for speaker, so we know the hard-right Freedom Caucus is looking for another candidate, and Donald Trump’s name has been circulated because the speaker does not have to be a House member. They want Trump there “Raskin:
Brennan said Trump for speaker is “not a serious prospect,” but Raskin wasn’t convinced.
Raskin: “They discuss it often.” “If Trump decided to do it, it would pose a major dilemma for their party because they refuse to do the right thing,” he added, before asking whether Trump still controls the Republican Party following weaker-than-expected midterm results.
Republicans are still projected to win the House, but the margin is smaller than expected, and Democrats could pull an upset to keep the lower chamber. MSNBC and NBC’s Steve Kornacki has changed his House estimate to show Republicans gaining 219 seats, one more than the 218 required to take control. This new reading is within the margin of error, four seats.
Despite House Republican discussion of Trump as speaker, the former president has rejected the idea. On Tuesday, he’s set to announce his candidacy for president in 2024.
