In an about-face, GOP Reps. Matt Gaetz and Lauren Boebert expressed optimism that Kevin McCarthy will become speaker in a Fox News interview with Sean Hannity less than an hour before members are set to go back to vote for speaker for a 14th time.
While Gaetz and Boebert, who have voted against McCarthy on all 13 previous ballots and even nominated opponents to McCarthy, expressed vague optimism Friday night, Hannity did not press either of them for how specifically they would vote on the floor.
“I am excited and encouraged, I am grateful that speaker-designate McCarthy has been so receptive to each and every change that we have demanded” said Gaetz, who earlier this week called McCarthy a squatter for occupying the Speaker’s office before being officially elected.
“I’m very optimistic about where we are right now,” Gaetz added.
Gaetz compared the negotiations between the holdouts and McCarthy to a prenuptial agreement: “Sometimes there could be some uncomfortable moments in the preparation, but it can be necessary.”
“We may have a few finishing touches. We may be able to get this resolved tonight. But I am proud of the entire Republican Conference” Gaetz added.
Two days ago, Gaetz told CNN that McCarthy is “a desperate guy whose vote share is dropping with every subsequent vote and I’m ready to vote all night, all week, all month, and never for that person.”
Boebert told Hannity on Friday:
“We’ll see how tonight goes. I think that there are some things that we need to get locked in.”
But when asked if specifically by Monday McCarthy would be speaker and if she would have the assurances she needs, Boebert said, “I sure hope by Monday we see something, something that is promising to deliver for the American people and I truly believe that after months of the negotiations that we’ve seen, and a few extra days even of being assembled on the House floor, Republicans are going to be far more prepared to lead and more prepared to govern than ever before.”
Boebert said on the floor earlier this week: “Kevin McCarthy you do not have the votes and it’s time to withdraw.”
