With House Republicans scrambling to shore up votes for the speakership hours before the new Congress is set to convene, Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., issued a scathing statement on Rep. Kevin McCarthy's prospects as House speaker.
"We've worked in good faith for months to change the status quo," Perry wrote on Twitter. "At nearly every turn, we've been sidelined or resisted by McCarthy, and any perceived progress has often been vague or contained loopholes that further amplified concerns as to the sincerity of the promises being made."
"On New Year's Eve, at the 11th hour, after dragging his feet for months, McCarthy presented a vague ultimatum lacking in specifics and substance," the House Freedom Caucus chair continued. "In an attempt to flesh out and add substance to his ultimatum and our many discussions, we approached McCarthy with an offer to get him to 218 votes. He declined.
"Kevin McCarthy had an opportunity to be speaker of the House. He rejected it."
While on his way into the morning meeting, firebrand Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., told the Daily Mail several times that he is still a no vote on McCarthy's bid for the speakership.
Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., told the outlet, "Kevin McCarthy is part of the problem. He's not part of the solution."
McCarthy supporter Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., said he would be open to supporting another candidate if McCarthy failed to win the election to the post on the first ballot.
With 222 Republican seats in the 118th Congress, McCarthy needs 218 votes, meaning he has little wiggle room — but he can only afford to lose four votes and still win the gavel.
In addition to the five "never Kevin" members of the GOP conference, there are also a number of Republicans who have strongly signaled they will vote against him, further imperiling his prospects.
Voting occurs in rounds until a majority consensus is reached and Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., is expected to derail McCarthy in the first round by throwing his hat in the ring, according to the Mail. Biggs is unlikely to capture most of the vote, but he would siphon enough votes from McCarthy to sabotage his bid.
Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., was reportedly approached by a group of GOP lawmakers about running for the chamber's top job if McCarthy falters.
Scalise ran uncontested for the position of majority leader in the new Congress and "could be a good consensus leader if things don't go well for Kevin," one lawmaker reportedly said.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.