It’s no longer a one-horse race for House Republican conference chair.
The Washington Examiner reported Thursday that a spokesman for Texas GOP Rep. Chip Roy’s office confirmed that Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., will nominate Roy for the No. 3 leadership role.
Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., had appeared to have the advantage for the spot, getting support from former President Donald Trump and House leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.
But earlier this week, Roy circulated a memo warning against a “coronation” of Stefanik, the Examiner reported.
The competition heated up after Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., was removed from the leadership role Wednesday because of her anti-Trump fervor, publicly criticizing him for his claims of election fraud.
Unlike Roy, however, Buck opposed removing Cheney, the Examiner noted.
“Liz Cheney was canceled today for speaking her mind and disagreeing with the narrative that President Trump has put forth,” Buck told reporters after the Wednesday vote, the news outlet reported.
He was pointedly opposed, however, to making Stefanik the conference chairwoman, calling her a “liberal.”
After reports that Roy was mulling a run for the seat, McCarthy told the Examiner: “It’s always healthy to have debate. That’s what you have. You have primaries and others when you’re filling a seat. Anybody can run.”
But Roy’s last-minute candidacy isn’t playing well with Trump.
“Can’t imagine Republican House Members would go with Chip Roy—he has not done a great job, and will probably be successfully primaried in his own district. I support Elise, by far, over Chip!” Trump wrote, the Examiner reported.
Source: Newmax
