Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., is saying that Kevin McCarthy may face some challenges in his bid for Speaker of the House after an underwhelming election for Republicans. It looks like Republicans will only hold a slim lead in the House now when they were predicted to have a near 30 seat margin. Biggs, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, told reporters that Republicans should reevaluate whether McCarthy is the best person to be House speaker. He told a conservative streaming program:
“I would say maybe not so fast. Maybe we should have a good discussion within the confines of our internal body. Look, we were told we were going to have an incredible, incredible wave. And if that would’ve been the case, any 20, 30, 40-seat margin, anywhere in there you would say, okay, Kevin is the presumptive Republican nominee for speaker.
“But I think we need to have a serious discussion. He’s back peddled on things like impeachment and, in some ways, that indicates a willingness to be weakening the oversight authority that we need to have and the leverage points we need to have in order to deal with a Democrat president.”
McCarthy announced his candidacy for House speaker on Wednesday, arguing that flipping the chamber under his leadership was “no small feat.”
However, the conservatives in the House Freedom Caucus may stand in his way if they believe McCarthy will not vigorously prosecute their case against the Biden administration or block significant spending bills from passing.
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