Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy floated the idea of returning to the speakership with Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, serving as assistant Speaker.
When asked by Fox News’ Chad Pergram on Wednesday, McCarthy declined to confirm the proposal.
The news comes as Republicans have failed to fill the Speaker’s chair for almost a month.
Meanwhile, Conservative X account Cat Turd predicted McCarthy would be put back in as Speaker.
“They’re going to try to put MaCarthy back in – watch.”
They’re going to try to put MaCarthy back in – watch.
— Catturd ™ (@catturd2) October 24, 2023
War Room host Steve Bannon also warned about a possible McCarthy return:
Johnson is the Speaker Designee with 128 Votes —Go Right to the Floor Now and Vote —Don’t Let McCarthy and The Cartel Have a Moment to Regroup… pic.twitter.com/MMxFITDnqX
— Grace Chong 🇺🇸 (@gc22gc) October 25, 2023
Matt Gaetz also noted how McCarthy said the quiet part out loud.
“Kevin McCarthy said the quiet part out loud: In his mind, the central quality of a candidate for Speaker of the House is what they will do for the lobbyists and special interests “across the street” from Congressional office buildings.”
“What an off-putting and debasing way to evaluate leadership.”
Watch
Kevin McCarthy said the quiet part out loud:
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) October 23, 2023
In his mind, the central quality of a candidate for Speaker of the House is what they will do for the lobbyists and special interests “across the street” from Congressional office buildings.
What an off-putting and debasing way to… pic.twitter.com/jLWYKQ3vRz
It’s still not clear whether the latest nominee, Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., stands a better chance.
The initial Nominee, Rep. Steve Scalise, was brought down by allies of Jordan.
Finally, Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., faced an all-out assault after Donald Trump quickly opposed his nomination.
Despite McCarthy’s suggestion of a co-speakership position, a GOP lawmaker told NBC that the McCarthy-Jordan idea had only come about because, “We’re desperate.”
As Fox News reported:
Proponents of the deal likened it to the relationship that had existed between Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., as Speaker and Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., as assistant Speaker from 2021-2023, the outlet reported.
When Pergram asked McCarthy about the potential arrangement late Tuesday, the Republican declined to confirm it and said only that “Republicans are talking.”
If the plan were to come to fruition, however, Johnson’s nomination would have to deflate first. Johnson received 128 votes in the final round of voting at an internal GOP meeting on Tuesday with Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., getting 29.
McCarthy also got 43 votes in the same round, sources told Fox News Digital.
The night began with five speaker candidates making their pitches to the conference before voting began. Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., was the first candidate knocked out of the running, followed by Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, in the second round of voting.
GOP Rep. Mike Johnson is the newest candidate for House Speaker.
Emmer won multiple rounds of voting earlier in the day to become the party’s nominee before being forced to drop his bid in the face of staunch opposition from within the conference, as well as from Trump.
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