Kevin McCarthy facing steep climb to become next House Speaker - New York Post

House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy faces a perilous road to becoming the chamber’s next speaker, insiders say.

“The coalition against Kevin has already reached critical mass,” said Rep.

They are also suspicious McCarthy will be too compromising with Democrats and blame him for the party’s lackluster midterm performance.

Many of the GOP hardliners have sought changes to House rules that would give them more leverage over McCarthy in the next Congress — including reconstituting the “motion to vacate the chair” that would allow any member of the House to be able to call for the removal of a sitting Speaker.

He’s not really coming to the negotiating table with the Freedom Caucus so far,” said one senior GOP aide, adding that McCarthy’s team was “shell-shocked” and “rattled” after the party’s midterm performance.

His election was widely viewed as a lock before the party’s midterm performance.

“I would be shocked if Kevin McCarthy was not the Speaker,” said Kevin R.