Kevin McCarthy May Be Booted Out Of Congress As Democrats To Make History With Hakeem Jeffries

If Kevin McCarthy loses the vote for Speaker he is likely to be forced out of the House, as Democrats are set to make history with Hakeem Jefferies

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The math in Kevin McCarthy’s quest to get to 218 votes and be elected the next Speaker of the House is going in the wrong direction. At the same time, Rep. Hakeem Jefferies (D-NY) is set to become the first black leader of a congressional party in US history.

Kevin McCarthy’s House Career Might Be Virtually Over

Axios reported:

McCarthy is at risk of a humiliating and potentially career-ending defeat with just five weeks until the Jan. 3 speaker election, as several members of the right-wing House Freedom Caucus are still publicly vowing to deny him crucial votes.

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Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.) told Axios on Tuesday he’s a firm "no" on McCarthy after previously leaving wiggle room: "I will be voting for an alternative candidate. I will not be voting for Kevin McCarthy."

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In addition to Good, Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) and Ralph Norman (R-N.C.) have said they are hard "no's"Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mt.) has also voiced firm opposition.

That may not be the extent of McCarthy's troubles: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), one of his key allies in the Freedom Caucus, estimated that privately there "could be as many as 10" no votes.

McCarthy has vowed to fight through as many ballots as it takes to get him elected, but ten no votes would doom him to defeat.

The stakes are bigger for McCarthy than just being denied the position that he has dreamed of for years. A defeat likely means that he will be resigning from the House. McCarthy’s career will likely be over if he loses.

It is historically unprecedented and extremely unlikely that McCarthy would stay in the House after being rejected by his caucus. McCarthy isn’t going to stick around and be a backbencher if he loses.

Unlike Speaker Pelosi who voluntarily decided to retire from leadership but stay in the House, McCarthy would face an untenable situation of a caucus that doesn’t want him and no future prospects for leadership, which is why he is likely to resign.

If he loses, McCarthy might stick around for a while, but his career would essentially be finished.