Public Policy Institute weighs in on GOP woes to secure US House

Things went from bad to worse on Wednesday as GOP leader Kevin McCarthy lacked support to secure 218 votes to take leadership as speaker of the House during day two of voting,
A total of 20 Republicans voted for Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, a different swing from yesterday when many from the House Freedom Caucus voted for Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan.
“I don’t think the House Freedom Caucus has plausible alternative or end game other than (not) Kevin McCarthy,” John T. Shaw, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University, said. “The House Freedom Caucus has their spotlight at the moment, and this does not seem to be about policy or the American people.”
Before serving as the director of the institute, Shaw spent 26 years in Washington, D.C. covering congress and economic issues.
It’s still being determined if tomorrow will include another day of voting or if McCarthy will step aside; its unclear and uncharted territory, Shaw explains. After today’s votes, the outcome is not going in McCarthy’s favor, and after 12 hours of renegotiating with his party to secure his leadership on Tuesday evening, to end up with fewer votes on Wednesday does not look good.
Reports have surfaced that McCarthy might make a deal with Democrats where for example, 50 democrats would not show up tomorrow to vote so he would win the majority and maintain power as majority House speaker, a claim Shaw disagreed with.
“With America being so divided, that move would probably cause a bigger divide resulting in fewer votes within his party,” he said. “I do not think that is happening, and I do not think the Democrats would support McCarthy in those efforts where (we) are now in American politics.”
He explains that the road ahead is unclear and uncharted territory because this has yet to happen in 100 years. McCarthy might step aside after working his entire career for this moment to see if Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise can secure the 218 votes as majority leader, or he could try to negotiate. Still, after the 12-hour effort yesterday, we will all have to wait and see how this plays out.
“The House Freedom Caucus is antiestablishment, and it seems personal against McCarthy, but I do not know why,” he added. “I do not think this is the end of the Republican party. The GOP has some rough times ahead, but not the end. However, not a good way to start the year, session and the means to gain the respect of the American party supporters.”