WATCH: Hugo Gurdon warns faith in GOP rests in handling of House Speaker vote
Heather Hamilton
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Washington Examiner Editor-in-Chief Hugo Gurdon warned that voters’ trust in Republicans’ ability to govern the nation will dwindle if the Party’s House of Representatives cannot show it can effectively govern itself.
While appearing on Fox Business Wednesday morning, Gurdon reflected on House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) inability to garner enough votes and be elected the next Speaker of the House on Tuesday.
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“This was a terrible self-inflicted wound,” Gurdon said. “If the Republicans show that they can’t govern themselves, voters are not going to believe they can govern the country. This was an absolute mess yesterday.”
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The House adjourned late Tuesday after three ballots were cast without enough votes for McCarthy to obtain the Speaker’s gavel. McCarthy ended the day with only 202 of the 218 votes needed as several members, most of whom are associated with the House Freedom Caucus, opposed the California Republican.
“The rebels got a lot of concessions before the vote took place. They could have taken the win and walked away and showed the party to be unified, which is what’s necessary for the Republicans to do for the next two years,” Gurdon said. ”Then they upped their demands. It looks as though there might be even bad faith rebellion here.”
Gurdon said the message of the midterm elections was that “voters want sensible, responsible government” and the division among Republicans over the Speaker election shows they have “started off on exactly the wrong foot.”
“In showing themselves responsible, they have to pick their fights, they have to investigate the collapse of the southern border, they have to investigate the debacle in Afghanistan, the wasted money and the causes of COVID,” Gurdon said. “They have to avoid things that make them look like partisan squabblers.”
“They have to pick their battles and really show that they’re responsible,” he continued. “And yet, they start off in this way, where, as I say, they can’t govern themselves, so why would voters believe they can govern the country.”
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Gurdon suggested that McCarthy may end up having to concede and step down, paving the way for Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) to be the likely replacement that Republicans can be unified behind.