Republican congresspersons who represent districts that President Joe Biden won in the 2020 election are throwing down the gauntlet at opponents of Republican leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).
In a letter flagged by Fox News White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich, 15 GOP lawmakers informed their intransigent Republican colleagues that they will not be happy with what happens if they are successful in blocking McCarthy from becoming Speaker of the House.
"Let us be clear: we are not only supporting Kevin McCarthy for Speaker, but are not open to any so-called shadow 'consensus candidate' -- regardless of how many votes it takes to elect Speaker-designate McCarthy," they wrote. "There is no other conservative candidate that can garner the support of 218 Republicans for Speaker -- period."
The Republicans go on to point out that McCarthy has made a number of concessions to hardliners in the hopes of securing their votes that they are willing to go along with only if Republicans make McCarthy Speaker.
They also warn that a "protracted floor fight over the Speakership" will do significant damage to the party's image in terms of being able to govern.
Despite all this, there has so far been no indication that any of the Republicans who are against McCarthy are willing to budge, leaving him short of the 218 votes he will need to assume leadership in the House of Representatives.
Read the full letter below.
\u201cNEW: 15 House Republicans from districts won by Biden in 2020: \u201cLet us be clear: we are not only supporting Kevin McCarthy for Speaker, but are not open to any so-called shadow \u201cconsensus candidate\u201d\u2014regardless of how many votes it takes to elect Speaker-designate McCarthy.\u201d\u201d— Jacqui Heinrich (@Jacqui Heinrich) 1672352938
