A few of Kevin McCarthy‘s opponents say they’ll never vote for him, while others have continued negotiating with the California Republican.
But they overwhelmingly agree they’d rather have a speaker who they trust to execute the institutional changes they’re seeking. And McCarthy is not someone that most of the 20 opponents, primarily members of the ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus, trust.
“I, like many, have trust issues with the leader. But I wouldn’t say that everything is so finite that there’s no conceivable way,” House Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry said in a brief interview after the chamber adjourned Wednesday evening for the second time in two days.