While no one is appealing to McCarthy or Scalise to resign from their posts – they were, after all, only unanimously elected to serve another term in leadership – tensions are undoubtedly high in the conference.
“There is a bit of anger, but a lot of disappointment,” one IDP member said in an interview. ‘And what you exhibited with Steve and Kevin was, uh, we’re just continuing the narrative from the right and they did not capture the moment. This is troublesome. ”
“If you are a leader, you have to look around the corner,” the legislature said.
The investigation, which is currently anonymous, provides a preview of the calculation to get into the Republican Party, which was united and raised in the wake of the recovery of a net 10 seats in November. But since then, Trump’s shameless attempts to undermine the election have sharply divided the GOP, which could jeopardize their efforts to claim the majority – and McCarthy’s dream of the speaker’s hammer.
“We are on a bad path. “Every member of Congress must understand what we say matters – what we say and how we say it is important,” said Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Ala.), Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, said in an interview Friday.
Some lawmakers even question whether it could harm McCarthy’s long-term position in the party. The Republican in California has built up his political brand over the past four years around his close ties with Trump – a political calculation that put him on lockdown with the House GOP, which remains mostly pro-Trump.
Yet McCarthy apparently did some damage control on Friday and issued a statement acknowledging Joe Biden for the first time as the president-elect, saying he had issued Biden in hopes of weakening the fiery rhetoric and working to to unite. the country.
The remarks are the first outward sign of McCarthy offering Biden an olive branch – and making Trump’s page.
“Our country is not just divided. We are deeply hurt, “McCarthy said in a statement. ‘The task ahead for the next Congress and the incoming Biden administration can no longer be important. But to deliver a better America for all, partisans of all stripes must first unite as Americans and show our country that a peaceful transition of power has taken place. ”
Some rank and file members also attack each other. Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) Said he was ’embarrassed’ by some of his colleagues.
And Representative Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), a Navy SEAL wounded in Afghanistan, told the Houston Chronicle: ‘All the members who all asked to come and fight and take their last stand, all the members was scattered. like cowards while the Capitol police had to conduct the fighting. ‘
McCarthy and Scalise – who survived an assassination attempt on a GOP baseball practice in 2017 – quickly strongly condemned the outbursts of violence on Wednesday, although they voiced criticism of Trump. And while the rioters are violating the Capitol, McCarthy told ABC News that he “begged” Trump to address the country instead of just posting a tweet.
Meanwhile, Scalise admitted on Fox News on Friday night that Trump’s words “did not help and in fact caused a lot of real division.” He also said that the president’s initial response was “an unequivocal, just complete, unequivocal cry of what was going on at the time when people were storming the Capitol.”
But some GOP members wanted their leaders to go further to distance the party from Trump, who Republicans across the spectrum were responsible for sending protesters to the Capitol, armed with anger and misunderstanding over Congress’ election certification process. Even some members of the hardline Freedom Caucus said Trump was to blame for the mob attack.
“Where I disagree with the White House and most of my Republican colleagues, it is fundamental that the Constitution is clear that we count the voters and that we must say so,” Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), a member said. of the House Freedom Caucus, which was opposed to the objection to the election results in Congress.
“I think Republicans should have been more responsible for declaring reality, rather than bringing forward a reality that just wasn’t true.”
Some lawmakers were also upset that McCarthy and Scalise – along with more than 120 Republican House members, easily a majority of the conference – continued to support voters from various states after the riots erupted.
“I did not agree to go ahead and challenge myself against a second state,” said Nancy Mace (RS.C.), a first-year student who has been physically threatened since she contested the election result. “I just wish we had taken a moment and said it’s not the time or place.”
Another Republican lawmaker said before the outbreak of violence that they were ‘disgusted’ at how McCarthy handled Trump’s false allegations of voter fraud, including advising some freshmen on which states had the strongest cases for objections.
Kinzinger, an outspoken Trump critic who called for Trump to step down immediately, did not criticize any GOP leaders at home. But he did say in one tweet: ‘Leaders who have led it must thank everyone so that the adults and truth tellers can do it. #RestoreOurGOP.”
Other Republicans, however, blame Trump. And some GOP members have come to McCarthy’s defense, arguing that behind the scenes he has actually helped curb Trump’s worst impulses over the years.
“I think McCarthy was the only moderating factor for Trump throughout his term,” one Republican said. “I think it’s not appreciated how much sense Kevin is talking to Trump, and I think Trump has listened to Kevin more or just as much as anyone else.”
The approach of McCarthy and Scalise brought them directly into conflict with Cheney, the no. 3 House Republican, who is considered someone who will one day try to climb the leadership corps.
She has repeatedly positioned herself against controversial Trump decisions, to the indignation of Trump loyalists. Some of them even discussed recruiting someone to challenge her for conference chairmanship.
But now she not only seems to be forgiven mostly by some of her critics for becoming a foil for Trump, but she also sees herself standing while the members of the Freedom Caucus are with Trump – and even each other – divide. One of the Freedom Caucus members even chased Cheney on Wednesday to thank her, one GOP source said.
“People are going to look at this moment when they are looking at who is going to lead the party,” one of the GOP lawmakers said. ‘[Cheney’s] political capital has risen significantly. She had the courage of her beliefs. ‘
McCarthy also walked a very different path than Senate Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Who actively discouraged Republican senators from participating in the anti-certification effort, describing his vote for Biden’s victory as’ the most important voice I’ve ever cast. ”
However, McCarthy’s allies said he was trying to remain neutral in order to maintain the unity of the conference. He did not announce his position before the certification vote, urging members not to attack each other over their positions, allowing members to debate the issue during a two-hour conference meeting and to ensure that Republicans will debate on both sides have speaking time on the floor.
But any goodwill McCarthy has created among GOP lawmakers who oppose the protest appears to have disappeared after pro-Trump rioters looted the Capitol.
“McCarthy hurt his brand,” another member of the IDP remarked, adding, “Scalise was to be expected.”