When U.S. Rep. Dan Webster looked to unseat House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, earlier this year, the Florida congressman could reel in only 12 votes. Now, as he looks to replace Boehner, Webster has a far stronger hand.
The House Freedom Caucus, a group of more conservative legislators, backed Webster for the Republican nod Wednesday, helping doom U.S. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s chances of wielding the gavel.
“Under the present circumstances and without significant changes to conference leadership and process, Rep. Daniel Webster would be best equipped to earn back the trust of the American people as speaker of the House,” the House Freedom Caucus members announced Wednesday.
As Republicans met on Thursday to choose a new speaker, California's McCarthy announced he was ending his bid. U.S. Rep. David Jolly, R-Fla., who was set to speak on Webster’s behalf, told Sunshine State News that McCarthy had the support of a majority of Republican members but would not be able to win 218 votes on the House floor. Jolly added that between 40 percent and 45 percent backed either Webster or U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, for speaker.
Webster reeled in the support of Florida Republican Reps. Rich Nugent and Bill Posey when he went after Boehner in January. But now other Republicans from the Sunshine State are lining up behind his bid, including Jolly and Ted Yoho, who also ran against Boehner in January.
“Today, during the vote for speaker, I will vote for Dan Webster,” Yoho announced before the caucus Thursday. “Dan will invoke the change that is needed and not tolerate ‘business as usual.’”
Despite his additional support since his January bid, Webster remains a dark horse for the nomination. U.S. Rep. Mark Sanford, R-SC, told Roll Call Thursday that he thinks U.S. Reps. Trey Gowdy, R-SC, and Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., could win 218 votes but did not mention other possible candidates as those two congressmen have shown no interest in being speaker.
U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., also discounted Chaffetz’s and Webster’s chances. “I think it’s going to be somebody a majority of the caucus would like," Kinzinger told Roll Call. “Webster and Chaffetz are great people, but part of the reason we delayed today is because you have at least 200 people who want somebody else.”
Even more damaging for Webster, U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, the chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, refused to commit his group to backing the Florida Republican again, telling Roll Call he was not sure if his group would remain behind him.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
