The feud between House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) is about to be turned up a notch. As the clock continues to tick down to a government shutdown, the power struggle among House Republicans threatens to amplify what some view as a crisis.
Gaetz is reportedly working behind the scenes to remove McCarthy as speaker over his handling of the spending dispute. If true, this development indicates that the tension between the conservative and moderate factions of the party is on a collision course that could have a substantial impact going forward.
Matt Gaetz is privately courting some House Democrats to help him oust Kevin McCarthy from the speakership.
The Florida Republican, who is threatening to force a vote on booting McCarthy if he works with Democrats to avoid a shutdown, approached multiple Democrats on the floor late Thursday night to discuss how they would vote on a possible vote of no confidence against McCarthy.
Among the Democrats he spoke to: Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.).
While liberals have never been expected to bail out McCarthy, Gaetz’s maneuvering is the latest sign that he is serious about his efforts to try to oust the speaker in the coming days. His conversations with Democrats were confirmed by three people familiar with the discussions.
This development comes just a day after it was reported that McCarthy and Gaetz had a heated exchange during a conference meeting.
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., confronted Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., at a closed-door House GOP conference meeting on Thursday morning.
A source familiar with the meeting said "fireworks" occurred when Gaetz rose to accuse McCarthy and his allies of waging an online campaign against him using "MAGA influencers paid to attack Matt" on social media.
McCarthy denied the claim and dismissed Gaetz. "McCarthy said he wouldn’t waste his time on Gaetz like that," the source told Fox News Digital.
Another source present at the meeting said that McCarthy told Gaetz, "Tomorrow I'm spending my time giving $5 million [to GOP candidates and members] to expand our majority. What are you doing to help our majority?"
The second source said that other members also had expressed frustration with Gaetz. One lawmaker told Gaetz to "f--- off," the source said, while another called him a "scumbag."
McCarthy has been placed in a rather precarious position with his leadership position being threatened by Gaetz and the looming government shutdown that could have a deleterious impact on his future as Speaker.
The discord stems from an ongoing ideological clash within the party. McCarthy has promoted a more pragmatic approach to leading the GOP through a divided Congress. Gaetz, along with his contemporaries in the conservative House Freedom Caucus has become a thorn in McCarthy’s flank in his vocal opposition to compromises with an increasingly leftist Democratic Party.
To make the situation even more perilous for McCarthy are his negotiations with President Joe Biden earlier this year. Some viewed this as capitulation and now, critics suggest that this latest kerfuffle only further demonstrates his perceived weakness as a leader.
Looming over this whole affair is the American people, who are still waiting for the government to develop solutions to ease economic woes and address problems with education, healthcare, crime, and other issues. In this tumult, one thing is abundantly clear: As the GOP grapples with its internal debates, the Republican base is watching to see which faction emerges victorious.