FIRST ON FOX: One of the 21 House GOP holdouts who have not voted to give caucus Leader Kevin McCarthy the speaker’s gavel said there is “nothing” the California Republican can do to get his vote.
Fox News Digital reached out to the office of Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., asking what McCarthy could do to gain his vote.
Biggs’ spokesperson gave a one-word response to Fox News Digital.
THE VOTE FOR HOUSE SPEAKER
Fox News Digital reached out to the office of Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ari., asking what House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy of California could do to gain his vote. His spokesman said "nothing."
(Mario Tama/Getty Images)
“Nothing,” the spokesperson said on Thursday.
A spokesperson for another holdout, Rep.-elect Ralph Norman, R-S.C., told Fox News Digital what the congressman-elect “needs are firm guarantees that Rep. McCarthy will leverage every tool within his disposal as Speaker to place our nation on a trajectory to balance the budget within a reasonable period of time.”
“That absolutely will require spending cuts. As of early Thursday afternoon, Rep. Norman is still not confident Rep. McCarthy is willing to stand strong on this,” the spokesperson continued.
Biggs and the other 20 Republicans against McCarthy’s speakership are dug in as the House enters into yet another round of votes to determine who will sit behind the dais.
Biggs and the other 20 Republicans against McCarthy’s speakership are dug in as the House enters into yet another round of votes to determine who will sit behind the dias.
(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File)
So far, McCarthy has commanded the vast majority of the GOP caucus votes while the Democrats have coalesced behind caucus Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York.
The 21 GOP holdouts, all members of the House Freedom Caucus, have floated several candidates for speaker including Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio and Byron Donalds of Florida.
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., one of the leaders of the speakership blockade, cast his vote during the 7th speaker ballot for former President Trump.
Gaetz went rogue from his former mentor after Trump endorsed McCarthy for the speaker job.
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., one of the leaders of the speakership blockade, cast his vote during the 7th speaker ballot for former President Trump. Gaetz went rogue from his former mentor after Trump endorsed McCarthy for the speaker job.
(REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)
The House continues to vote to determine its speaker with no one on either side of the GOP caucus budging.
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McCarthy can only lose four votes to win the gavel. He will have to sway at least 16 of the holdouts to ensure he has the support he needs.
Meanwhile, the holdouts don’t seem like they will budge and are throwing their hats behind different candidates to keep McCarthy out of the speaker’s chair.