The Grind:
WASHINGTON-Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) on Nov. 14 appeared to hint at the possibility that he might run against House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to become the next speaker of the House, amid reports that the Arizona congressman is weighing a leadership challenge.
In response to The Epoch Times’ inquiry whether Biggs would challenge McCarthy for House speakership, Biggs’s office said in an email, “The speaker doesn’t have 218 votes, and there will be an alternative challenger.”
The Details:
The comment came as the House GOP is slated to hold leadership elections on Nov. 15. While McCarthy needs only a simple majority in this vote to become the Republican nominee for speaker, House’s speakership won’t be confirmed until the next Congress session in January. Then, any candidate will have to get 218 votes on the floor to claim the gavel.
Biggs, a highly influential member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, just won re-election for his fourth term in Congress. He is among the most conservative members of the House and has been vocal in voicing dissatisfaction with the status quo in the aftermath of the GOP’s lackluster performance in the midterms. Read more…