Trump endorsement didn’t help McCarthy convince GOP holdouts [Video]

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Rep. McCarthy still hasn’t reached the necessary votes for Speaker despite former President Trump’s endorsement.
• Trump urged the holdouts to “close the deal” and vote for McCarthy, but the deadlock voting continued.
• Trump’s endorsement didn’t convince the rebels, who called for an alternative against the status quo.

The Republican House members opposing Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s Speakership bid were not convinced by former President Donald Trump’s endorsement.

Trump supported McCarthy’s Speakership bid weeks before the leadership election, warning the five GOP holdouts about the consequences.

The former president reportedly called lawmakers to urge them to back McCarthy after the California congressman failed to secure the necessary votes.

Trump renewed the call on Wednesday morning when he posted to Truth Social: “Some really good conversations took place last night, and it’s now time for all of our GREAT Republican House members to VOTE FOR KEVIN, CLOSE THE DEAL, TAKE THE VICTORY. REPUBLICANS, DO NOT TURN A GREAT TRIUMPH INTO A GIANT & EMBARRASSING DEFEAT.”

But as the House resumed voting on Wednesday afternoon, lawmakers found themselves in the same deadlocked position.

One of the 20 GOP holdouts, Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), said he appreciates what Trump “did for the country,” but he doesn’t agree with him. “Endorsements don’t matter to me. This is our fight here,” he added.

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) addressed her colleagues on Wednesday, “Let’s stop with the campaign smears and tactics to get people to turn against us — even having my favorite president call us and tell us we need to knock this off. I think it actually needs to be reversed; the president needs to tell Kevin McCarthy that, sir, you do not have the votes, and it’s time to withdraw.”

McCarthy has not shown any signs of surrender.

The Conservative Action Project, a group with strong connections to Trump, lauded the rebels and encouraged “more conservative members to join their ranks” in opposing “the business-as-usual, self-interested governance in Washington.”

Rep. Ken Buck (R-Colo.) currently backs McCarthy but is starting to reconsider. He said that while the former president “has great influence in the Republican Party, especially among the 20 rebels,” he doesn’t think he can convince anyone whose mind has already been made up.

Drew Godinich, spokesman for Democratic super PAC American Bridge 21st Century, remarked, “Kevin McCarthy is finding out in real time that Trump’s endorsement is about as worthless as the former president’s NFT collection.” He compared McCarthy’s consecutive defeats to “the long list of MAGA Republicans Trump failed to get across the finish line” during the midterms.

Meanwhile, Rep. Dan Meuser (R-Pa.), a McCarthy supporter, urged the rebels to listen to Trump: “Maybe they should think about supporting him and his wisdom that we need to get back to the people’s business and stop embarrassing ourselves and elect a speaker.”

Other lawmakers lauded Trump for supporting McCarthy without calling out the rebels by name, with some noting that he may not want to alienate his supporters amid his presidential campaign.

Source: NBC News