'Welcome to hell': Report outlines the '24/7 obstacle course' Kevin McCarthy faces as GOP leader

On Monday, POLITICO reported that House Democrats are adopting a "welcome to hell" attitude toward the incoming razor-thin Republican majority — and, after two years of struggling to hold together a narrow majority themselves, are eager to watch House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), the favorite to be tapped Speaker, fight to do the same against bitter internal party disagreements.

"House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and his team are set to take over in January with the kind of margins that vexed Speaker Nancy Pelosi, but lacking the two decades of experience she brought to the task," reported Sarah Ferris. "And the House GOP will have to steer legislation through with as few as four votes to spare while its leaders deal with an emboldened Freedom Caucus, internal finger-pointing over a disappointing midterm cycle, and a looming brawl over a 2024 presidential primary that features Donald Trump back in the mix."

The report went on to describe McCarthy's challenges as a "24/7 obstacle course for House Republicans who are already facing big questions about their agenda next year, from abortion policy to Ukraine aid to impeaching President Joe Biden and some Cabinet members."

Indeed, one of McCarthy's first challenges is going to be wrangling up the votes to be elected Speaker in the first place, something some hardline members of the GOP caucus have vowed to prevent.

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“I don’t lie awake at night worrying about the bad legislation they are going to pass," Don Beyer (D-VA) told POLITICO simply, "Because I don’t think they’re going to pass it.”

Fellow Virginian Gerry Connolly agreed, adding, “Paul Ryan and John Boehner both had a bigger majority, and they couldn’t exercise control.”