Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado said Tuesday that Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California “smugly rejected” a “common sense” proposal that would have secured him the speakership on the first ballot.
“I have been working for months behind the scenes to create unity,” Boebert told “Special Report” host Bret Baier. “Just last night two colleagues and myself walked into Kevin McCarthy’s office and presented him a very common sense proposal, a deal that got him 218 votes, the gavel on the first ballot and he smugly rejected that.”
McCarthy failed to garner the 218 votes needed to become speaker in three ballots Tuesday, receiving 203 votes in the first two ballots, before Republican Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida switched his vote to Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio on the third ballot, leaving the California Republican with 202. Democratic Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York secured 212 votes from Democrats in all three ballots.
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“It was very common-sense things like putting forward a border security bill. Putting forward a term limits bill. Having a measure in place where any member of Congress who offers an amendment to reduce the federal debt, well, that’s made in order,” Boebert continued.
McCarthy attempted to secure the 218 votes necessary to become speaker by agreeing to some proposals from the House Freedom Caucus, but was unable to convince the holdouts to support him in Tuesday’s votes.
Boebert disputed claims from other Republicans that the opposition to McCarthy was “petty.”
“I don’t think a secure border is petty. I don’t think a term limits bill being brought to the floor, not demanding to pass, but brought to the floor so we actually have an option to vote on that is petty,” Boebert said, adding that McCarthy failed to demonstrate a commitment to securing the border or balancing the federal budget.
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