McCarthy, opponents inch toward deal to end Speakership fight

Rep. Kevin McCarthy and some of his GOP detractors appeared Thursday to be nearing a deal that would bring him closer to the Speakership, even as his most vocal critics vowed that it wouldn’t be enough to grant him the gavel.

 

The two sides were working furiously behind closed doors to carve out an agreement even as McCarthy lost five more floor votes for the Speakership, with the same band of opponents voting against him. It made 11 straight ballot losses for McCarthy.

 

“It’s changes that we wanted,” said Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), one of the 20 Republicans consistently voting against McCarthy, said of the offers coming from the McCarthy camp.

 

“Now, we got a lot more we got to get to,” he cautioned. “But this round one, it’s on paper, which is a good thing.”

 

McCarthy allies also voiced optimism, saying they felt progress was being made.

But they hadn’t been able to show progress on the floor despite the growing number of concessions. And it was unclear a deal would get McCarthy over the hump.