McCarthy Is Still the Favorite to Become Speaker

Punchbowl News: “We are 350 days from Election Day 2022, and House Republicans are heavily favored to win the majority. And let’s be completely clear about something: House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is heavily favored to be the next speaker. That doesn’t mean it will be easy or it’s a certainty. It’ll be a big challenge for the man who dropped out of a speakership race just six years ago.”

“But think back: Has any minority leader led their party to the majority and then not become speaker? The answer is no, not in the last century (and please don’t say Bob Michel, he was retiring.) If Republicans win the majority in November 2022, it will be the second cycle in a row in which McCarthy has won seats. He’s a beast of a fundraiser — it’s his life — and that’s tough to top. He picked up lots of chits there.”

“Still, McCarthy needs to get the majority of the House Republican Conference and then 218 votes on the floor — or a majority of whomever is present and voting — to become speaker if the GOP wins.”