Projection about Kevin McCarthy, the front-runner of the October 29 election for a new US House Speaker, shows that he will receive ample majority votes of the House Republicans.
The Republican National Committee (RNC) is currently under a bit of turmoil after the incumbent Speaker, John Boehner, suddenly announced his resignation last month, citing his disappointment for making his job difficult by the ultra-conservative Republicans, commonly known as the Tea Party factions of the GOP.
Quoting multiple sources familiar with the operation, Politico reported that more than 200 Republicans have committed to supporting him for Speaker.
The number far surpasses the simple majority of House Republicans McCarthy needs to win Thursday’s internal GOP vote but is still a bit shy of the 218 he needs on the House floor to become the next Speaker.
The internal Republican speaker vote on Thursday is just the opening act in a two-part drama that will consume the next month in the House.
McCarthy’s job, if he is elected, won’t get any easier after the election. Should he win, he will be Speaker-designate during a tumultuous three weeks before his floor vote. The most pressing issue on his plate during that time will be the debt ceiling, which must be lifted less than a week after the planned floor vote for speaker.
