Posted on 06/10/2014 9:39:28 PM PDT by Viennacon
As conservatives begin to wrap their heads around the shocking primary defeat of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, at least one member of the coup to unseat Speaker John A. Boehner doesn’t think an open spot in leadership will strengthen Boehner’s hand come the 114th Congress.
Just minutes after Cantor’s defeat was official on Tuesday night, Rep. Tim Huelskamp told CQ Roll Call that Cantor’s ouster “bodes well for an entire new leadership team.”
The Kansas Republican, who hasn’t been quiet about his qualms with leadership, said it’s “too early to tell” exactly how this affects leadership races, “but, again, I think it’s a team approach, and this reflects on John Boehner, this reflects on [Majority Whip] Kevin McCarthy.”
McCarthy is next in succession for the majority leader spot, but many in the Capitol see his power largely tied to Cantor’s.
“By tomorrow, it’ll be McCarthy running for majority leader,” Huelskamp said. “He’s Mr. Ambition. But at the end of the day, I don’t think he gets to be majority leader by Eric Cantor getting beat.”
Asked if he thought conservatives would be placated by a scenario like that, Huelskamp was unequivocal.
“Absolutely not,” he said. “I think most members of the House know the final power rests in the speaker’s office.”
“I think it weakens the speaker; it doesn’t help him,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Huelskamp had predicted that Boehner wouldn’t run to be speaker in the 114th Congress, along with Reps. Raúl R. Labrador, R-Idaho, and Matt Salmon, R-Ariz.
How this affects their predictions in unclear. But for Huelskamp, he think it strengthens the chances of Boehner retiring.
Huelskamp insisted Cantor’s loss was “a reflection of the entire team.”
“Eric Cantor is gone because the tea party is not dead,” Huelskamp said.
(Excerpt) Read more at blogs.rollcall.com ...
I wish I could agree with you, but to GOP leadership this is more important than the existence of the party. 90% they get it done by the end of September.
Cantor is still in Congress until January (assuming they don’t somehow change that), he’s got 7 months go jihad on conservatives, and he will.
Considering even the most conservative Senators, drift strongly to the left over time, it might be risky.
Cast him out! Throw Boehner Out!! We need some strong people in place to tap the brakes on this out of control president.
I like Gowdy too, but we should not pin too many of our hopes on the fate of one man or woman. The media lap dogs have shown how easily they can pollute the minds of the low-info voters.
decorum would dictate that he resign as majority leader. lets see if he does and how soon.
You got to be kidding me. Do those types ever play by the rules they enforce. (And if he does cede, I bet they make a point by shifting it to someone worse.)
cantor’s story is sadly typical for a lot of them. go into DC as a principled guy, get infected with the beltway power syndrome and end up looking totally different than he did going in.
If they do every one of them that vote for it from a red state will get booted out.
I doubt it. Graham didn’t. McConnell didn’t.
Gowdy supports “reform.”
“Gowdy supports ‘reform’.”
Exactly. I would not support Gowdy for a leadership role unless he publicly stated he was wrong to voice support for a limited amnesty and would pledge to strictly enforce current immigration laws.
I always thought, you do NOT have to be an elected representative to be the the speaker of the house. We could nominated Mark Levin, for instance. I may be going on false assumptions, I was too excited to do verify my facts.
We need a fighter and a tireless champion motivating those lame brain and weak-kneed representatives, who did rally to his call during the sequester. He is the one who have them inspiration to hold the line.
So let’s deal with this, immediately, and stem this problem, and worry about if he turns left in two years time.
We need out of the box solutions. This travesty of congress has been too entrenched.
Hmmmm..... I’m not an expert. But now that you mention it, I think you are correct. I think that the congress DOES have the latitude to nominate and vote in almost anyone they decide would do the job.
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