Political Commentator Sees Fight Over Speakership, Rejection of McCarthy, a Win for Americans

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) (L) talks to Rep.-elect Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) in the House Chamber during the third day of elections for Speaker of the House at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington on Jan. 5, 2023. Win McNamee/Getty Images

Contrary to the message pushed by Washington insiders, the fight over the House Speaker position is a win for the American people, Mike Davis stated in an interview, which aired on Newsmakers by NTD and The Epoch Times on Jan. 4.

Davis is the founder and president of the Article III Project and former Chief Counsel for Nominations to Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley.

“The biggest pro of this [Speaker] debate is that [it shows] DC insiders, lobbyists, the establishment don’t get to pick who wins these elections, that there’s actual elections in this country,” Davis stated.

Davis said that for the past three years, “establishment Republicans” have shown little concern for what conservative Americans are facing. As examples, he cited COVID-19 lockdowns, the BLM and Antifa riots, and the uptick in “gender-affirming care” for children.

Mike Davis, founder and president of the Internet Accountability Project. Courtesy of the Internet Accountability Project

Thus, in his opinion, the faction of GOP lawmakers holding out against Rep. Kevin McCarthy as Speaker are listening to what their constituents want. Specifically, a leader who won’t cave to the political elite and will fight for the rights of Americans.

“This is a good way for the rank-and-file Republicans in the House to take back control of the House. Instead of DC lobbyists running [the House], the rank-and-file Republicans, who are accountable to their constituents back home, are running it like the Founders intended,” Davis stated.

Furthermore, Davis alleged, if McCarthy does win the Speaker position, Republicans’ chances in the 2024 election will deteriorate. “I think if we elect Kevin McCarthy as our speaker, he’s going to be a uni party, establishment speaker, who will not draw a sharp enough contrast with Democrats,” Davis predicted.

“The election was bad in 2022 because Republicans were not bold. They didn’t draw a sharp contrast with Biden and Democrats. And that’s why we need a new speaker. That’s why Kevin McCarthy, who failed in 2022, cannot be the Speaker going into 2024.”

Americans’ Priorities

According to Davis, despite much ballyhooing within Washington over the Republicans’ failure to elect a Speaker quickly, outside of the Beltway, Americans are focused on more pressing issues.

“I don’t think the American people really care that much one way or the other. I know inside DC this is like the most consequential thing that’s ever happened to them. … You know, they want to pull fire alarms because we can’t elect a speaker in two days. Who cares? No one cares,” Davis asserted.

Additionally, Davis said at the end of the day, he’s confident that Republicans will elect a Speaker, and it'll be a Republican.

Regarding the rumor that the House could end up with Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) as Speaker if Republicans don’t come together, Davis stated that that is a “scare tactic” started by McCarthy.

“There is no chance that a Democrat will become Speaker,” Davis claimed. “That is a scare tactic by Kevin McCarthy to get people to cave and vote for him. He’s the most uninspiring Speaker candidate we’ve ever seen from Republicans in a long time. And that’s why he doesn’t have the support.”

Davis further asserted that the reason McCarthy doesn’t have the support of rank-and-file members is that they recognize McCarthy as an “establishment” figure and believe he lacks the backbone to fight for what their constituents want.

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) (C) talks to reporters with Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) (L) and Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) after they were elected to House Democratic leadership for the 118th Congress at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center in Washington on Nov. 30, 2022. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

“I’m not hearing a compelling argument why Kevin McCarthy is the indispensable one, who is the only one who could be Speaker. I hear a lot of people say that he’s a uni party, DC establishment insider, who’s not going to bring the necessary change that we need in Washington,” Davis said of McCarthy’s failure to secure the Speaker position.

Plus, Davis said that if Republican holdouts cave, and elect McCarthy as Speaker, they'll be failing the people who voted for them.

“This is the only branch of government, the House, that Republicans will control, and we need to make sure we have a fighter in there who’s going to fight for the American people, everyday Americans in the real world, and not corporate interest in Washington—like Kevin McCarthy has been known to do.

“He'll fight for Big Tech monopolies Google, Amazon, Facebook, and Apple. When Big Tech was censoring, silencing, de-platforming, and canceling conservatives, including President Trump, Kevin McCarthy was taking their money and doing their bidding. We can’t have that anymore. He needs to go.

As an alternative to McCarthy, Davis championed Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La) for Speaker. “Steve Scalise is a principled conservative. He’s a good person. He’s not the perfect pick, he has flaws just like everyone else. But he’s the guy who can actually get 218 House Republican votes.”

The Fight Continues

As of this writing, McCarthy has lost eight rounds of voting in his bid for House Speaker. He needs 218 votes to secure the position.

At the beginning of the Speakership battle, 19 Republic lawmakers opposed McCarthy. And while McCarthy has offered concessions to sway votes, his efforts have not resulted in additional support so far.

Democrats, however, have solidified around their candidate, Jeffries, and he’s won 212 votes in the rounds of voting.