“This is a great day for America, just a great day,” Sandy Rios tells AFN.
Rios, an AFR podcaster and director of governmental affairs at the American Family Association, is familiar with the behind-the-scenes politics in Washington after leading Concerned Women for America as president years ago. The “establishment” Republicans who hold power there have been a frequent topic of her radio shows ever since, and McCarthy has been one of her targets.
“Kevin McCarthy is a deceiver. He is not trustworthy,” she says. “That's why he almost did not make Speaker in January.”
In fact, the unprecedented 15 rounds of voting that took place eight months ago was aired live and showed the public the political sausage being made. During those raucous hours on the House floor, McCarthy was involved in a tense conversation with Rep. Matt Gaetz after the 14th vote failed to deliver McCarthy the Speaker’s post. Gaetz, who led this week’s vote to oust McCarthy, had frustrated McCarthy and his allies by voting “present” during that 14th round.
Moving forward after Tuesday’s historic vote, Gary Bauer of the Campaign for Working Families predicts voters will be frustrated if the political drama fails to make a difference in the coming weeks and months. He predicts it sadly won’t matter.
"Is this little bump in the road going to erase millions of illegals coming to the country every year? Is it going to do anything to change people's minds about what's happening in Democrat-run cities and runaway crime?” Bauer asks rhetorically. “Of course, it isn't. This is a nothing burger."
Regarding the next Speaker of the House, Rios says she was pleased Rep. Jim Jordan has announced he wants the job.
“I think Jim Jordan would be a person who will be conservative on the issues and will be a champion,” she predicts. “I also think he can get 218 votes. That’s key.”
What also helps Jordan, she adds, is he has remained politically loyal to McCarthy and remained quiet about criticizing him. That loyalty has not been overlooked by McCarthy’s allies, she suspects, whose votes Jordan will need in the coming days.
In addition to Jordan, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Rep. Kevin Hern have announced they are running for the Speaker's post, too, according to The Associated Press.
