Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y. doesn't anticipate the House speaker election standoff going past the late hours of Friday night — after 15 former GOP holdouts flipped their votes to Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. earlier in the day.
Plus, there's the expectation of Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas and Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo. —who were reportedly absent during the Friday matinée votes — siding with McCarthy, who fell just four votes shy of collecting the 218 House votes required to clinch the speakership.
"If we can get two of those [six remaining GOP holdouts] to flip, we'll have a speaker, we'll get sworn in, and we'll get right into the [House] rules package," Tenney told Newsmax Friday evening, while appearing on "Rob Schmitt Tonight."
"This is a really good rules package," continued Tenney, "and it's good that we negotiated this for our system of government, and it's great for the American people. ... If we're going to have self-government, we've got to show this" to the public.
Tenney beamed when asked about particulars of the House rules package. But since nothing was official on the speaker vote, the New York Republican politely demurred answering the question and coyly revealed that it would "empower" lawmakers who are representing districts throughout the country.
The package will benefit every region of the United States, moving forward, "including Democrat" leaders, added Tenney.
With only six of the original 20 holdouts still wavering from McCarthy, Tenney addressed one of the dissenters by name: Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.
"I disagree with his position" of refusing to support McCarthy. "But that's OK. We're still going to be friends tomorrow, after this all said and done," said Tenney.
She then added about Gaetz: "There's a point in time where you've got to give up on your position — after getting everything you want. ... At that point, you're not really negotiating. You're more of a hostage-taker."
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