It seems that this race for Speaker of the House has now gone next level with the entry of Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz and Chairman of the House Oversight Committee, putting his name into the ring. Follow more below the fold.
Here is my take on this:
1. He mentions in his statement about how 50 members of the Conference can't vote for McCarthy because he doesn't have the confidence of the most conservative wing who would not vote for him when it comes to the floor and a Speaker nominee must have 50% +1 to win or we go to a second ballot. Chaffetz doesn't make a statement like that without the approval or the hard knowledge that its true. I think it has been obvious that McCarthy was Boehner's pick which made him dead man walking in the eyes of the conservative wing. The only saving grace that McCarthy had was that there was not a strong conservative challenger to him and now you do with Chaffetz.
2. THE GAFFE KILLED HIM: Chaffetz also went on to mention how we need a "Speaker who is an effective communicator" which has to be taken as a direct shot at McCarthy over his Benghazi comment that has been so rightfully trashed on some major news sites.
3. Will the Planned Parenthood hearings nail Chaffetz?: While he goes on against McCarthy, it should be noted that Chaffetz isn't all clean in this as well. His handling of Cecile Richards in the hearings over the doctored videos earned him a whole lot of trashing from both sides, so the GOP has to ask itself do they want someone who could be easily the poster boy for the war on women as there leader in the house. Plus the fact that Cathy McMorris-Rodgers of Washington who was running for Majority Leader was "told" to not run can't be good.
4. And he has not ruled out more governing by crisis...or maybe he has. In his letter he also mentions he would be more confrontational with the President then Boehner was, but didn't mention how he would do this. You have a Speaker and a favorite for Majority Leader in Tom Price of Georgia who wants more confrontation with the White House, like I said, make a Costco run and get the popcorn. STAY TUNED!
Here is the article from Huffington Post for more detail.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...