While leaving a pivotal meeting in GOP Rep. Tom Emmer’s office, Rep. Chip Roy refused to say if he’s willing to back Kevin McCarthy — as did Rep. Byron Donalds and others.
Donalds would not say if he would eventually drop out.
Rep. Scott Perry said he needed more changes.
“But none of these changes would be on the table if the slim majority didnt exist so we have to take this opportunity to make the changes necessary to make Congress work for the American people,” Perry said.
The meeting is ongoing.
Perry also tweeted and told Fox News that there is still no deal.
“There is no agreement whatsoever and it’s disappointing that confidences are betrayed about the details of internal meetings, and it exemplifies Washington, DC, and the trust factor that is causing the impasse that is occurring right before your eyes,” Perry said.
“There’s a trust issue with the gentleman who wants to be speaker,” Perry said, adding “it is hard to restore trust in just a month or two” and “there is no agreement at this time.”
When asked about alternative candidates, Perry said, “whoever can get 218. If Kevin McCarthy will embrace these changes, I suspect he will get to 218 but if he will not, then he can’t.”
Perry said “it would be unfaithful of me” to discuss ongoing negotiations when asked about details of the dealmaking.
“We don’t want our speaker to be working with Democrats,” Perry replied when asked about Democratic Rep.-elect Brad Sherman’s claim that moderate Republicans would have to work with Democrats to govern, continuing “as long as our speaker is true to what we believe in as Republicans across the board, we’re going to be in fine shape.” He described a Republican speaker seeking Democratic votes on issues such as government funding would be an “act of combat.”