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You are here: Home / House of Representatives / Kevin McCarthy’s First Test

Kevin McCarthy’s First Test

January 9, 2023 at 6:44 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Playbook: “The rules package that will govern how the House operates this session is scheduled for a vote this evening. It’s shaping up as McCarthy’s first big test in governing what is shaping up to be an ungovernable Republican majority.”

“The package is the closest thing to a contract drawn up between McCarthy and his internal critics. Alongside various side deals dealing with committee assignments, budget policy and other matters, the rules changes define the devolution of power away from leadership and towards the House Freedom Caucus. If tonight’s vote goes down, the entire project unravels.”

“McCarthy originally wanted to push the deal through the House immediately after members were sworn in on Saturday — the more scrutiny the rules package received the more difficult it would be to pass. But the late-breaking floor drama prompted a change of plans (and averted the hypocrisy of passing a package that includes a 72-hour-review rule for legislation just a few hours after it was revised.)”

Punchbowl News: “This is a tightrope walk. As with everything in this Congress, McCarthy, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer can only afford to lose four votes if they want to pass this package.”

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Filed Under: House of Representatives

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About Political Wire

Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

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