Lawmakers are preparing for the nuclear option…
North Carolina Congressman Dan Bishop, one of the 20 “Never Kevin” Republican lawmakers, says he’s prepared to leave Congress if McCarthy becomes the next U.S. House Speaker.
“We’re going to either see improvement up here the same way we made remarkable improvements in North Carolina in the state legislature, or I’m out,” Bishop told Roll Call in an interview published early Thursday morning. He said that over McCarthy’s 14-year tenure in Republican leadership, the would-be speaker has said the same things over and over again about threats facing the country and “every one of them has gotten worse, not better.”
As someone who is “older than the average bear” and “not going to stay up here for decades,” Bishop told Roll Call he has no qualms about adopting a “never Kevin” position in the ongoing leadership fight.
Kevin McCarthy has had an unprecedented battle for the Speaker’s gavel after being unable to obtain the 218 votes necessary to win after six rounds of voting.
However, Rep. Bishop is already walking back his resignation comments.
“I will serve my term with all the force and vigor in me,” he tweeted Thursday morning.
McCarthy’s team reportedly engaged in negotiations with the holdouts overnight. A central sticking point between McCarthy and the holdouts is the rules change that would open up the legislative process by allowing rank-and-file members to add floor amendments to significant bills, as well as conservative representation on powerful House committees and a lower threshold to trigger the process to remove a speaker.
There was also discussion of increasing representation of hard-line conservative members on the powerful House Rules Committee and bringing a vote on a bill imposing term limits on members of Congress.
A GOP aide confirmed to Fox News that McCarthy is weighing these concessions. However, no McCarthy holdouts have said the talks moved them.
During Wednesday’s voting, opposition Republicans nominated Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) for the position.
“The reality is Rep. Kevin McCarthy doesn’t have the votes,” Donalds tweeted after changing his vote against McCarthy during the third speakership vote Tuesday. “I committed my support to him publicly and for two votes on the House Floor. 218 is the number, and currently, no one is there. Our conference needs to recess and huddle and find someone or work out the next steps.”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect the latest information as it becomes available.
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Good 1 less RINO
Curious: Why did Mr. Bishop get elected? Seems to me that he was elected to represent his constituents, not throw a tantrum if he doesn’t get his way. Threatening to leave Congress if the Speaker is not his pick is just being a crybaby. Stick to your guns, but play the cards you are dealt. You were elected–serve!
This is becoming absurd and embarrassing. If someone else wants this job and can get the required 218 votes then why hasn’t that person stepped forward?
bye
Republicans are proving they are ‘children’!!
The worst republican is better than the best democrat.
Good riddance!!!!!