Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) on Sunday suggested that some far-right House lawmakers could vote for former President Trump to be the next Speaker as an indication that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) may not have the votes to be the next leader.
Raskin told CBS’s “Face the Nation” host Margaret Brennan some far-right lawmakers have “repeatedly” discussed voting for Trump.
“It’s a real problem for Kevin McCarthy now, because there are certain pro-Trumpists within his House caucus who refuse to accept that he’s really with Trump and they want to get rid of McCarthy,” Raskin said. “They might just vote for Trump.”
Raskin noted that the Speaker of the House does not have to be a member of Congress.
McCarthy began trying to shore up votes to become the next Speaker of the House following the midterm elections but could face some opposition from members of the House Freedom Caucus who have not indicated they would solidly back him for leadership. The GOP was forecasted to take control of the House, but nearly two dozen races have yet to be called to determine which party will lead the chamber next year.
Trump has endorsed McCarthy if the GOP wins the majority. Trump also threw his support behind Rep. Elise Stefanik (N.Y.) for another term as chair of the House Republican Conference, telling Fox News last week, “I think she’s fantastic.”
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), a Freedom Caucus member who Raskin suggested would be one lawmaker to vote for Trump as Speaker, said Republican midterm losses should factor into a decision on whom they elevate to the top job in the House.
The Hill has reached out to a spokesperson for Biggs for comment.
Raskin on Sunday said the roughly 155 incoming House Republicans who are ardent Trump supporters and deny the results of the 2020 election “pose a profound problem for their party.”
“That is going to create profound cognitive and political dissonance within the GOP,” the Democrat said. “Is it really Trump’s party? Or does it stand for something else?”