Eight Republicans joined the House Democratic Conference in voting to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R). The effort resulted in a vote of 216 to 210. In the aftermath of the ousting, Republicans have voiced their disapproval of the vote, citing that it resulted from a select few that do not politically align with the Republican party. In speaking to CNN, Florida Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R) called the vote “insane,” suggesting a different approach for the future.
During an interview with news anchor Abby D. Phillip, Rep. Gimenez discussed the vote this week to oust Speaker McCarthy.
He shared that he’s heard some names of potential speakers and admitted that “nobody has my vote.”
When asked what it would take for him to support the next speaker of the house, Gimenez explained that “the person that wants my vote… has to agree to put on the floor a change in the rule of how the motion to vacate happens. I think that the one-person motion to vacate is insane. We cannot continue to be governed this way.”
He further explained that it makes no sense given that Speaker McCarthy had 96% of support in his own caucus and his own conference, making the vote “insanity.”
Instead, Gimenez argued that the motion to vacate should require “50% of the majority conference.”
He affirmed that this change in the motion to vacate is “what it’s going to take to get me, and that’s what it’s going to take to get a lot of my colleagues, so, no, we’re not gonna be giving up on this.”
He also mentioned that “the rule that the Democrats ruled under the last Congress, the Congress I was here, I’m fine with that rule. If it was good enough for them last Congress, maybe it’s good enough for them this Congress.”
This is an opportunity where the Florida Republican believes that both sides of the aisle can come to an agreement.
