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‘It’s Him or Chaos’: Newt Gingrich Defends McCarthy After 3 Failed Votes

Gingrich McCarthy

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For the first time in 100 years, the House was unable to elect the Speaker on the first ballot, forcing a second and then a third, which ended with 212 votes for Hakeem Jeffries, 203 for McCarthy and 20 for Jim Jordan. Being 218 the magic number, the election stalled, thus delaying the legislative function.  

The 20 votes the Ohio congressman got are from Republican “defectors” who do not agree with the Californian’s candidacy. Although Jordan himself called to unify the Republican vote behind McCarthy, this group, which includes Matt Gaetz (R-FL), Bob Good (R-VA) and Chip Roy (R-TX), does not seem to want to give up.

McCarthy
Kevin McCarthy failed to get the votes needed to become speaker and Newt Gingrich criticized those who opposed his candidacy (EFE).

Gingrich and his support of McCarthy

Amid continuing uncertainty, Gingrich spoke to Fox News and criticized those who oppose McCarthy’s candidacy and remarked that the majority of the Republican caucus agreed with his nomination.

“I don’t understand what they’re doing. They’re not voting against Kevin McCarthy, they’re voting against over 215 members of their own conference. Their conference voted overwhelmingly, 85%, for McCarthy to be speaker, so this is a fight between a handful of people and the entire rest of the conference,” he began.

“They’re saying they have the right to screw up everything. Well, the precedent that sets is…any five people can get up and say, well, I’m now going to screw up the conference too. The choice is Kevin McCarthy or chaos,” added the former House speaker, who held the gavel from 1995 to 1999.

Gingrich had already previewed this scenario last December when he wrote that the “blackmailers” are trying to exploit the vulnerability of their House Republican colleagues to get what they want, even if it’s not what the rest of the conference wants.”

In turn, he highlighted McCarthy’s leadership and performance during the midterm elections. “His travel schedule reflected the depth of his personal commitment to electing a House GOP majority. In the 2022 cycle, he was in 47 states and spent 311 days on the road. That is what earning the speakership look likes. Without McCarthy’s effort, we might not have seen Jen Kiggins, Mike Lawler, Juan Ciscomani, Tom Kean, or many others joining the new Congress,” said Dec. 14, 2022.

Joaquín Núñez es licenciado en comunicación periodística por la Universidad Católica Argentina. Se especializa en el escenario internacional y en la política nacional norteamericana. Confeso hincha de Racing Club de Avellaneda. Contacto: [email protected] // Joaquín Núñez has a degree in journalistic communication from the Universidad Católica Argentina. He specializes in the international scene and national American politics. Confessed fan of Racing Club of Avellaneda. Contact: [email protected]

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