On his 15th try, Kevin McCarthy gave up all his might to become a sky-suited speaker who was likely to be fired by his caucuses within a year.
The lukewarm applause McCarthy got from his own caucuses when his name was nominated was an ominous omen.
House Republicans stand up and applaud enthusiastically for a man who will probably be removed from office within six months. #Kevin McCarthy pic.twitter.com/geghKlTQwV
— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) January 7, 2023
McCarthy gave up so much that he had no power, control or ability to lead the caucuses. For example, he let the far right determine the number of seats on important committees. Committee assignments are a powerful tool speakers use to keep members on the same page. McCarthy gave it up.
Regarding the budget and debt ceiling, McCarthy agreed to add spending cuts. House.
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Rep. McCarthy also agreed not to spend money on Republican open primaries. This means that another powerful tool congressmen have is gone: the ability to influence House primaries.
The biggest blemish of self-harm is that Kevin McCarthy agreed to allow any member to ask for a motion to recall the speaker. McCarthy gave the very people who showed how much they hated him by sinking his candidacy 13 times the power to fire him at any time.
As soon as McCarthy does something they don’t like, he may go down in history. McCarthy manages committees and controls what bills enter the House, but he oversees caucuses so out of control that they hold procedural votes to choose the next Speaker of the House. It allowed him to become the weakest speaker in American history, which would go on to a one-week debacle.
Kevin McCarthy has the office and the title, but he has no power.
Jason is the editor-in-chief. He is also a White House press pool and a congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a BA in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy with a specialization in the social reform movement.
Awards and Professional Membership
Member of the Association of Professional Journalists and the American Political Science Association
