{"id":7785,"date":"2023-10-02T23:47:31","date_gmt":"2023-10-02T18:17:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/farratanews.online\/rep-gaetz-says-mccarthy-can-probably-survive-vote-to-oust-him-as-speaker\/"},"modified":"2023-10-02T23:47:31","modified_gmt":"2023-10-02T18:17:31","slug":"rep-gaetz-says-mccarthy-can-probably-survive-vote-to-oust-him-as-speaker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/farratanews.online\/rep-gaetz-says-mccarthy-can-probably-survive-vote-to-oust-him-as-speaker\/","title":{"rendered":"Rep. Gaetz says McCarthy can ‘probably’ survive vote to oust him as speaker"},"content":{"rendered":"

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WASHINGTON \u2014 Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., conceded on Monday that Speaker Kevin McCarthy \u201cprobably\u201d can survive a conservative effort to oust him from power.<\/p>\n

But, Gaetz said, McCarthy would almost certainly need to rely on Democrats to do so, weakening the GOP speaker\u2019s standing among House Republicans.<\/p>\n

“Kevin McCarthy\u2019s true coalition partner on all things of substance has been the Democrats this Congress,\u201d Gaetz told reporters on the steps of the Capitol Monday, pointing to how McCarthy relied on Democratic votes to pass a debt and budget deal earlier this year and a bill to avert a government shutdown on Saturday.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Kevin McCarthy works for Democrats and utilizes Democrats in order to keep power, that would be consistent with everything we\u2019ve seen from him,\u201d Gaetz added.<\/p>\n

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As part of his fight to gain the speaker\u2019s gavel, McCarthy made it easier for foes like Gaetz to force a vote to remove him from power. Gaetz or any other single member can now file a \u201cmotion to vacate,\u201d which requires the House to vote on whether to keep McCarthy as speaker.<\/p>\n

Gaetz said if he fails to oust McCarthy the first time, he could keep calling votes to remove the speaker, forcing his GOP colleagues to repeatedly take tough votes in support of McCarthy.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt took Speaker McCarthy 15 votes to become the speaker,\u201d Gaetz said. “So until I guess the 14th or 15th, I don\u2019t think I\u2019m being any more dilatory than he was.\u201d<\/p>\n

Earlier Monday, McCarthy declined to rule out the possibility of cutting a deal with Democrats to stay in power, though he said he hasn\u2019t spoken to Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, of New York, about it. <\/p>\n

\u201cI think this is about the institution,\u201d McCarthy said.<\/p>\n

Gaetz, a conservative bomb-thrower and top Donald Trump ally, spoke to reporters moments after taking to the House floor and railing against what he called McCarthy\u2019s \u201csecret side deal\u201d with President Joe Biden and Democrats to hold a separate vote on new aid money for Ukraine \u2014 something McCarthy denied Monday morning.<\/p>\n

But despite the palpable anticipation, Gaetz didn\u2019t trigger a vote to oust McCarthy at that time.<\/p>\n

Asked if he was backing down, Gaetz replied that he wanted to file a motion to vacate when more lawmakers are present. \u201cNo one\u2019s in town. It\u2019s Monday on a fly-in day at noon,\u201d he explained. \u201cI think we\u2019ll have more folks later this afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n

He clarified that he would still take action against McCarthy \u201cthis week.\u201d<\/p>\n

McCarthy and his allies have been defiant, saying they will beat back any effort by Gaetz to overthrow him.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo be it, bring it on,\u201d McCarthy said during an appearance Sunday on CBS\u2019 \u201cFace the Nation.\u201d \u201cI\u2019ll survive.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the floor opened at noon, several McCarthy loyalists gave speeches in support of the speaker and warned that any effort to remove him could delay the GOP’s push to pass appropriations bills and cut spending ahead of the new Nov. 17 deadline to fund the government or risk a shutdown.<\/p>\n

“The immediate effect will be to paralyze the House indefinitely because no other business can be taken up until a replacement is elected,” said Rep. Tom McClintock, a California Republican like McCarthy. “I cannot conceive of a more counterproductive and self-destructive course than that.”<\/p>\n

As for potential replacements for McCarthy, Gaetz mentioned McCarthy\u2019s top deputy, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., as a possibility, but he did not endorse anyone.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s probably 100 Republicans in Congress that I would vote for for speaker,” Gaetz said. “We have a lot of folks in Congress who I think would be very capable to serve as speaker.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Scott Wong<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

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Scott Wong is a senior congressional reporter for NBC News. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Ali Vitali<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

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Ali Vitali is a Capitol Hill correspondent for NBC News, based in Washington.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Kyle Stewart, Rebecca Kaplan and Garrett Haake contributed.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n