Brian Mast defends McCarthy: ‘He’s not John Boehner’
Virginia Aabram
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Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) assured the 20 Republicans standing between Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and the speaker’s gavel that the California Republican would lead differently than other party leaders.
Mast said in a speech nominating McCarthy ahead of the eighth round of voting Thursday that he would be faithful to deals he made if he wins the speakership. Republican infighting has spilled over into the third day as conservative hard-liners continue to oppose McCarthy even after major concessions.
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“He’s different. He’s not Paul Ryan. He’s not gonna tell you, ‘You’ll get a term limits bill,’ and then you won’t,” Mast said, naming the most recent GOP speaker of the House. “He’s not [Senate Minority Leader] Mitch McConnell. He fought against the $1.7 trillion wasteful spending package that was sent to us on New Year’s Eve. That’s not him, he’s different. He’s not John Boehner. He didn’t throw you all who disagreed with him out on your cans, saying, ‘I don’t want to hear you, I don’t want to listen to you.’ He welcomed everybody in because he’s different.”
Mast attempted to show the detractors that McCarthy would listen to and respect them as speaker in a way other Republican leaders have not. Most of the holdouts are still backing Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) over McCarthy.
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Though McCarthy has made numerous concessions to the group, including allowing one member to act on the motion to vacate the chair, placing more Freedom Caucus members on the House Rules Committee, promising votes on key bills, and not spending in safe Republican primaries, a few of the holdouts, who include Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Lauren Boebert (R-CO), remain unswayed. Another group that includes Reps. Chip Roy (R-TX) and Dan Bishop (R-NC) says they could be swayed if more of their demands are met.