Now that Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has succeeded against conservatives in Congress at becoming Speaker of the House, we can look at where members of Congress stood during the fight. Rather than vote for Donald Trump or Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) suggested that it was time for Republicans to reach across the aisle and work with Democrats to fill the position.
With 20 GOP members refusing to budge from their opposition to Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), the selection process has reached a standstill. Bacon, however, sees an odd way out.
The representative declared that “we also have to be willing to consider working with the Democrats at some point to get some…work on some concessions to get some support there if these 20 refuse to budge.”
There is a clear danger to expressing more willingness to work with the opposing party than their own colleagues. As many noted, his working alongside Democrats in the first place is what led to the resistance to McCarthy taking the gavel.
People like Don Bacon are why we must not elect McCarthy speaker. https://t.co/gG2hSjHTo9
— Nick Searcy, INTERNATIONAL FILM & TELEVISION STAR (@yesnicksearcy) January 5, 2023
As conservative talk show host Jesse Kelly pointed out, Bacon has also worked with Democrats to spend trillions in taxpayer dollars. Now he wants the House to begin its work to address inflation. Kelly added, “This is why I don’t care. I hope this fight goes on for two years.”
What every rank-and-file Republican needs to guard against is having the GOP make concessions to Democrats to speed up the process. After all, would not compromises with your own party make more sense?
Many believe the chances of a quick resolution to the standoff are fleeting. The 218-vote threshold may as well be on the moon if the party’s establishment does not listen carefully to its protesting members.
One source told Fox News that the prospects are grim. The source said “people are starting to get antsy,” and even though there has been progress in negotiations, it is uncertain whether any actual votes have been changed.
A House Republican expressed their belief that it is important for McCarthy to show the party that he is making progress, particularly with the members-elect. This standoff, if it drags on much longer, has the strong potential of undermining his leadership even if he were to prevail.
As for the 20, they were standing on principle and what they believe should be the direction of the Republican Party. It is shameful to think that some within their ranks find it more appealing to make concessions to liberal Democrats than to continue building towards a truly conservative future.
