WATCH: Gingrich says Speaker vote delays show ‘healthy, tough, serious conversation’
Heather Hamilton
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Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich dismissed concerns that Republicans are falling apart, saying House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) inability to secure the Speaker’s gavel thus far shows the Party’s ability to engage in “healthy, tough, serious conversation.”
After six ballots cast and McCarthy still failing to garner enough votes to be elected the next Speaker of the House on Wednesday, he offered the 20 Republicans who have held out against him a new bid of concessions heading into Thursday’s vote. McCarthy has offered concessions that would limit his power while also expanding their roles across additional committee assignments.
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“Most of the things they want are relatively reasonable. And that’s part of the legislative process,” Gingrich told Fox News’s Laura Ingraham Wednesday. “It’s really hard to explain to Putin or Xi Jin Ping or Kim Jung Un what’s going on. This is freedom. And freedom is messy and sloppy and also remarkable — remarkably creative. We’ll get there, and we’ll have a Speaker.”
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Gingrich called McCarthy a “solid conservative,” adding that he will work with those Republicans to gain their votes toward his Speakership.
Gingrich also noted that the last time Republicans dragged out the Speakership voting process was in 1923, and it took nine ballots, but that the following election the GOP picked up an additional 22 seats.
“People shouldn’t assume this the end of the Republican Party in any way. This is a healthy, tough, serious conversation,” the former Speaker said.
Gingrich’s position is in direct opposition to President Joe Biden’s, who called the multiple rounds of voting an “embarrassing” international display of the U.S. government.
“I think the idea that Joe Biden, who has been lying consistently about his son who’s gotten rich by means that I think are probably illegal, who has never has been to the border and is I think now going to finally have a visit next week. You look at his policies, you look at his weakness around the world, I don’t think we need to be lectured by Joe Biden,” Gingrich said. “This is a healthy, free Republican Party.”
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“We’re not the Nancy Pelosi machine. We don’t have the culture of the Democrats. We’re not a collection of musk-oxen that get led around by our nose,” he added. “If you want to be an independent, free-thinking person who has to get up and argue your case, you ought to be Republican. If you want to be part of a group that does all you’re told by a boss, you ought to be a Democrat.”
The House is set to resume the election for Speaker of the House on Thursday at noon.