Speaker Race Breakthrough:McCarthy PAC Agrees with Conservatives on No Spending in Safe Open-Seat Primaries

(Funny how the news that this process is the basis of a representative government, and its a good thing)

Ashley Oliver4 Jan 2023

The conservative and influential Club for Growth announced it cut a deal with the super PAC affiliated with House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), signaling possible movement in the House speaker race after a stalemate had resulted in no speaker through six rounds of voting as of Wednesday afternoon.

The deal with the McCarthy-affiliated super PAC, the Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF), involves CLF agreeing to stay out of open-seat Republican primaries in safely red districts, as well as CLF vowing not to enable other super PACs to do the same.

Club for Growth President Dave McIntosh said in a statement the agreement “fulfills a major concern” that his organization had held and noted that as long as certain “principles” are met, Club for Growth would endorse McCarthy for speaker.

“This agreement on super PAC’s fulfills a major concern we have pressed for,” McIntosh stated. “We understand that Leader McCarthy and Members are working on a rules agreement that will meet the principles we have set out previously. Assuming these principles are met, Club for Growth will support Kevin McCarthy for Speaker.”

Club for Growth is a well-funded group that endorses candidates who promote limited government and economic conservatism.

Coming to an agreement with CLF, a fundraising juggernaut, is significant in that some of McCarthy’s opposers in the speaker race had sought to eliminate CLF’s involvement in Republican primaries.

CLF President Don Conston noted that Republicans had picked up seats in 2020 and 2022 under McCarthy’s leadership and that CLF wanted McCarthy to stay at the helm so Republicans could “pick up seats for the third cycle in a row.”

Conston vowed, “CLF will not spend in any open-seat primaries in safe Republican districts and CLF will not grant resources to other super PAC’s to do so. CLF has never spent a dollar against a Republican incumbent before and obviously will continue that policy in the future.”

McCarthy indicated to Punchbowl News after the news of the Club for Growth development that “talks are progressing” in his pursuit to negotiate with some of the 20 members who have repeatedly opposed him.

A seventh round of voting for a speaker is expected either Wednesday night or Thursday.

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/01/04/speaker-race-breakthrough-mccarthy-pac-agrees-conservatives-no-spending-safe-open-seat-primaries/

GOP Rep. Buck: Republicans Should Start Looking at Scalise for Speaker

Pam Key4 Jan 2023

Representative Ken Buck (R-CO) said Wednesday on CNN’s “The Lead” that Republican leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) needed to step aside and let Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) run for Speaker of the House.

Buck said, “I had a number of conversations with Kevin and I basically told him at some point this needs to break loose, he needs to make a deal to bring the 19 or 20 over or he needs to step aside and give somebody a chance to do that.”

Anchor Jake Tapper asked, “So, your message to Kevin mMcCarthy is we need to fish or cut bait. Like, if you can’t get to 218 or 217, whatever the threshold is, we need to find someone else. Who might that be?”

Buck said, “The next is line is Steve Scalise. I don’t know if he gets more or less, at some point, we have to start to look at the rules and the committee assignments and other things and get back to the basics of what the people’s self-interest is in the case and meet some of those interests and get the votes.”

He added, “There are a few 20 that wouldn’t vote for Kevin McCarthy but would vote for somebody else. There are others who want changes in the rules and others who care about policy. I think if Steve meets those needs he will be able to move forward and take the speakership.”

Buck concluded, “I think that at some point today, the conference as a whole needs to make a decision. I think what’s happening right now is people are getting worn down. We are starting to get some open conflict on the floor as well as behind closed doors. I think this that conflict is not healthy.”

(This comment negates the fact that Americans want them to fight, we don’t care if its public, if we are ever going to get a somewhat fait deal, they should fight like hell,the Trump way. Its a hard no for Scalise, he’ll just be managed by McCarthy. Buck is a big supporter of McCarthy so this is a shift)

https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2023/01/04/gop-rep-buck-republicans-should-start-looking-at-scalise-for-speaker/

Ohio Statehouse Elects ‘Moderate’ Republican for Speaker with Democrat Support

Jacob Bliss4 Jan 2023

The Ohio statehouse elected a “moderate” Republican with help from Democrats on Tuesday over the Republican caucus’s initial choice for the top spot.

Ohio state Rep. Jason Stephens (R) won the speakership in the statehouse on a 54-43 margin over state Rep. Derek Merrin (R), who was considered the speaker-elect after he won the unofficial vote from his caucus only three months ago. Stephens won support from all 32 Democrats in the statehouse and another 22 other Republicans, while Merrin only received 43 votes, which all came from Republicans.

According to Cleveland.com, over the last few days, Stephens and his allies won support from the Democrats to propel him into the speakership. Without the support from the Democrats, Stephens’ bid for the speakership against Merrin would have split the vote, and neither candidate would receive a majority of the votes needed.

Cleveland.com’s Jeremy Pelzer explained:

Merrin was expected to move the House even farther to the right than the GOP-dominated chamber has been in recent years, backing measures that, to date, haven’t passed –including a near-total abortion ban, an anti-union “right-to-work” bill, a proposal to phase out Ohio’s income tax, and a “backpack bill” that would expand school vouchers. Stephens, while conservative, is not considered to be as far to the right as Merrin.

It’s the second time in four years that a Republican has been elected speaker of the Ohio House thanks to votes from Democrats. In 2019, Democrats provided Larry Householder the votes he needed to unseat then-Speaker Ryan Smith, though they later came under criticism after Householder was arrested the following year and charged with overseeing a $60 million bribery scheme.

As speaker, Stephens will have broad power over which bills are voted on by the lower chamber and which die in committee. State lawmakers will have to pass a massive new two-year state budget plan this year and have a number of controversial issues to tackle, from abortion to taxes.

(Why is school choice vouchers a “blackpill”? Because the Education labor union owns the democrats!)

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/01/04/ohio-statehouse-elects-moderate-republican-speaker-democrat-support/

>>18079987

So true, MTG revealed her selfish desires and her ignorance of the actual power to be a representative. She actually believed all the lies and promises Kevin told her, over many long term representatives. She just alienated a lot of her supporters. Her yelling at allies, shows she’s been treated as an equal and is not educated what a real fighter is! Now her calling them names and whining that they didn't ask McCarthy for favors for her, exposes her intent. I never liked her, her voice always agitated me. Glad she exposed herself.

PN>>18078620, >>18078782, >>18078793 Hannity fail Boomerang bun

The opinion Trump will be the speaker is not going to happen. One doesnt go from President to Speaker, it mars his power and looks desperate. It won’t happen. My theory is Trump has dirt on McCarthy, a lot of dirt, and the only reason Trump is backing him is because he’s has some back channel of info. McCarthy has betrayed Trump and hated and didn’t back America First candidates, so whatever Trump has is HUGE.

McCarthy if he gets in, will be held to the fire on everything he promised.Boebart is demanding “vacate the chair” be included, which allow five members to vote him out. He’s always violated his promises to them, so if they don’t have that, its business as usual.

McCarthy is an extreme money raiser (only good about him) but has no ideology of MAGA and is not a budget hawk. So there’s some logical reason why Trump is semi supporting him. Perhaps its only to not create enemies and he knows McCarthy will lose, so its a win win for Trump. The master of the art of the deal.