Mara Gay, a member of the New York Times’ editorial board, said Thursday that Republicans currently refusing to support California Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s speakership bid were only elected because of racism, according to Blaze Media.
Joining Nicolle Wallace on MSNBC, Gay commented on the historic House speakership battle, insisting that some anti-McCarthy Republican representatives won races because of “the fears that surround” the “browning of America.”
“Some of these individuals were people who were really only elected based on a litmus test to stop the tide of diversity in the country, the browning of America, the fears that surround that,” Gay said.
“So, they were not elected to go do the work of government,” she continued.
"Some of these individuals were people who were really only elected based on a litmus test to stop the tide of diversity in the country, the browning of America, the fears that surround that. So, they were not elected to go do the work of government"- @MaraGay w/ @NicolleDWallace pic.twitter.com/zYNo2th9Zh
— Deadline White House (@DeadlineWH) January 6, 2023
Just prior to Gay’s remarks, far-left-wing host Nicolle Wallace called Republicans breaking ranks a “tragedy for American democracy.”
So far, over a dozen Republicans have continually refused to vote for McCarthy, including many members of the House Freedom Caucus.
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) voted for McCarthy on the first two ballots, but flipped his vote on the third ballot, aligning himself with hardline conservatives.
Other holdouts include Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Bob Good (R-VA), Dan Bishop (R-NC), and more.
To win the gavel, a nominated candidate must secure 218 votes. However, when members and members-elect of the House vote present, the threshold for victory is lowered.
So far, rogue conservatives such as Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who just threatened to resign if a bipartisan coalition elected a moderate, do not seem likely to join McCarthy’s bloc anytime soon.
According to Fox News, a senior House GOP leader said Friday that the chances of a speaker being elected soon are “low.”
“People are starting to get antsy,” the anonymous source told Fox. “We made progress in the negotiations… But I don’t know that it’s changed any votes yet.”
This elongated speaker election in the 118th Congress is historic, for a number of reasons.
It is the first contested speaker election in exactly a century, and it has now become the longest battle for the gavel since the Civil War.
