McCarthy Might Not Have Votes for His Debt 'Capitulation'

It took just six conservative holdouts to block House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., until the 15th-round of voting, and fiscal conservatives in the House are coming out against his compromise with President Joe Biden to raise the debt ceiling.

An unofficial count of at least eight House Republicans coming out against the "utter capitulation" on Twitter shows the House GOP leadership agreement will still have a difficult time being sold to holdout Republican votes in the closely divided House.

It takes 218 votes for a simple majority and Republicans have a 222-213 advantage. Newsmax counts at least eight House Republicans vocally against the House GOP leadership's late-night deal with President Joe Biden.

"Right now the Democrats are very upset," McCarthy claimed in a Sunday morning TV interview, saying House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is disappointed in President Joe Biden's deal. "But one thing Hakeem told me: There's nothing in the bill for them. There's not one thing in the bill for Democrats."

But the outcry from House conservatives is far more pointed, including Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, rejecting outright McCarthy's claim after initially withholding judgment.

"THREAD: There are members of the GOP claiming Democrats got nothing from the 'deal,'" Roy tweeted, saying "we're going to try" to stop the deal. "Oh really? 1) An uncapped debt ceiling with an expiration date — worth approximately $4 trillion…? 2) basically no cuts — a freeze at bloated 2023 spending level? #DebtCeiling (1/3)

"…3) ZERO claw back of the $1.2 trillion 'inflation reduction act' crony giveaways to elite leftists for grid-destroying unreliable energy…? 4) 98% of the IRS expansion left fully in place…? 5) no work requirements for Medicaid? — and only age adjustments for TANF/SNAP…? (2/3)"

"…6) no REINS act statutory requirement for congress to approve huge regulations – just an 'administrative' paygo that the administration will get to enforce? 7) No border security!! — and a deal allowing them to avoid policy riders in the fall… 8) more… (3/3) /end"

Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., gave McCarthy's compromise a vomit emoji, calling it an "utter capitulation in progress — by the side holding the cards."

"Heard the call. RINOs congratulating McCarthy for getting almost zippo in exchange for $4T debt ceiling hike was enough to make you 🤮," Bishop tweeted Saturday night. "(Actually, it's so bad they won't give a figure for the debt ceiling hike … only that it's suspended til Q1 2025. Our bill was a year less.)"

Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., sounds like a "no."

"I listened to Speaker McCarthy earlier tonight outline the deal with President Biden, and I am appalled by the debt ceiling surrender," Buck tweeted. "The bottom line is that the U.S. will have $35 trillion of debt in January, 2025.

"That is completely unacceptable."

Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., one of the leaders of the votes against Speaker McCarthy, vowed to never vote for raising the debt ceiling.

"Our national debt is a top national security threat," Biggs tweeted. "I have never voted to raise the debt ceiling in my time in Congress — even while President Trump was in the Oval Office — and will continue not to for the same reasons. We owe the American people responsible fiscal policy."

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., was also a McCarthy holdout and rejected the compromise as "half-baked."

"Conservatives making these half-baked compromises year after year is exactly why we're $31 trillions dollars in debt right now," she tweeted Sunday morning. "Eventually it has to end!"

That tweet came after she vowed to be a "no" Saturday night.

"Our base didn't volunteer, door knock and fight so hard to get us the majority for this kind of compromise deal with Joe Biden," she tweeted. "Our voters deserve better than this. We work for them. You can count me as a NO on this deal. We can do better."

Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., says no "conservative could justify a yes vote."

"I am hearing the 'deal' is for a $4 trillion increase in the debt limit," Good tweeted. "If that is true, I don't need to hear anything else. No one claiming to be a conservative could justify a YES vote."

Rep. Ralph Norman, R-N.C., tweeted, "this 'deal' is insanity.'

"A $4T debt ceiling increase with virtually no cuts is not what we agreed to," Norman wrote. "Not gonna vote to bankrupt our country. The American people deserve better."

Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., is a "hard pass" on the capitulation.

"A $4 trillion debt ceiling increase?" Clyde tweeted. "With virtually none of the key fiscally responsible policies passed in the Limit, Save, Grow Act kept intact? Hard pass. Hold the line."

There are also at least two GOP senators who have come out against the McCarthy/House GOP leadership deal, including Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Mike Lee, R-Utah. The Senate Democrats have just a 51-49 majority, with 49 Republicans, 48 Democrats, and three independents who caucus with Democrats.

"Do not intend to default on debt, but will not support a deal that reduces the size of the Navy and prevents continued technological and weapons assistance to Ukraine," Graham tweeted.

Lee mocked McCarthy for punting when the GOP is about to score a touchdown.

"Punting at your opponent's one-yard line isn't a winning strategy," Lee mocked on Twitter.

The deal to seat McCarthy as speaker permits the House to call for a vote to oust him with just one backer. With so many disappointing in his deal-making, a bold fiscal conservative could rile the House with a vote on McCarthy's leadership.

Biden made the deal with McCarthy over the phone while away on Memorial Day vacation. McCarthy was in Washington, D.C., and has criticized Democrats and Biden for crying urgency about the potential for debt default, but frequently pushing the talks off to the bitter end, while also frequently leaving town.

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