Conservative sounds alarm over putting Kevin McCarthy in line for the presidency

In a column for the Bulwark, longtime conservative political observer A.B. Stoddard sounded the alarm that the 2022 midterms could elevate House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to the Speaker's chair should the Republican Party regain the majority.

Of particular note, she added, potential Speaker McCarthy would also be next in line after the vice president to become the commander in chief.

According to columnist, it is incumbent upon Democrats to make the prospect of McCarthy as president a major part of their message as the midterm elections loom.

"If the Kevin McCarthy tapes taught us all anything, it’s that the man is game to harbor criminals," she wrote. " And once someone with power does that, what won’t they do? Positioned to be third in line to the presidency nine months from now as speaker of the House, McCarthy will lead a conference of radicals, nihilists, and some people who likely committed federal crimes."

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Stoddard amplified her fears of McCarthy in a position where he could do real damage that go way beyond protecting far-right Republicans like Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Paul Gosar (R-AZ) by gaming out a plan for Democrats to alert voters what a GOP-controlled House could lead to.

"This is not the same group of Republicans who Democrats defeated in the 2018 midterms. That weak and compromised conference was in Trump’s thrall, but had not yet tried to stop the peaceful transfer of power," she wrote. "Today there are GOP members of Congress who were involved in what January 6th Select Committee member Rep. Jamie Raskin describes as an 'orchestrated, premeditated assault on our system of government.'"

"January 6 has not passed," she warned. "It has metastasized. It was violent and deadly but that was only the last day—which was just one moment in a 60-day coup attempt. And since then we’ve had new state laws designed to help Republicans in corrupt the count in future elections, pathways to prevent certification by the states and absolution for those in Congress who would steal an election. Put it together and the picture is of a party focused on how to obtain power and protect it by anti-Constitutional means."

As part of the Democrats message to voters about McCarthy, the conservative columnist suggested telling them, "He chose to protect Trump and punished those who told the truth about the president’s role. He is aware of the complicity of members of his rank and file in this attack on our Republic and is protecting them, as well. New revelations show he has lied about this. Not shaded the truth; not engaged in spin; not obfuscated. Lied. Flat out."

"If he is promoted to be third in line to the presidency, he will lie about anything. In abetting Trump and his followers in Congress, Kevin McCarthy has emboldened them," she added.

In her final warninhg, she concluded, "No matter what races they win or lose this fall, or how wide the margin for Republicans, every Democrat knows a GOP House will destabilize this country. It’s time they be open about this fact with their voters."

You can read her whole piece here.