With Republicans on the cusp of taking a majority in the House of Representatives, Freedom Caucus member Andy Biggs said late on Monday that “it’s a new world” and he is seeking nomination as Speaker of the House, challenging Kevin McCarthy.
Biggs (R- crAZy) is a former chairman of the Freedom Caucus, a far-right group of more than three dozen members. Scott Perry (R- PA) is the current chairman.
The Freedom Caucus is divided on whether to support Biggs.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, herself a Freedom Caucus member, is supporting McCarthy, while Matt Gaetz has already said he will not.
“We have to elect Kevin McCarthy,” Greene told reporters Monday. “I can’t support a challenge that will allow the Democrats to — to elect their own speaker by pulling some of ours.”
Marge is worried that Democrats could vote for a moderate Speaker. “We’re at risk of allowing the Democrats to be able to elect the speaker of the House even if we have the majority,” Greene said, noting that 20 of the 35 Republicans who voted to form the Jan. 6 committee will be back in Congress next year.
Who might be that moderate Republican?
Liz Cheney, even though she lost her re-election in Wyoming, is her fear.
- McCarthy needs to win a majority of votes from House GOP members in a secret-ballot election on Tuesday to secure his conference’s nomination for the post.
- After that, all House members will vote on the floor on the first day of the new Congress in January, when McCarthy would need at least 218 votes to secure the Speakership.