By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
When the Speaker of the US House of Representatives John Boehner (R-Ohio) announced that he was stepping down from what is arguably the second most powerful job in the country, most people in the know thought that House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-California) would step up and there would be a seamless transition of power. On Thursday Rep. McCarthy announced that he was withdrawing his name as a Speaker candidate, a likely indication that he lacked the votes to win.
US Representative Martha Roby (R-Montgomery) said in a statement on Facebook “With the unusual situation in the House right now, we need a strong leader to step forward who can be bold and unite all House Republicans to advance a conservative agenda.”
Rep. Roby said “A lot of people have talked about Rep. Trey Gowdy being that kind of person because he is. I have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for him, both as a friend and as my Chairman on the House Select Committee on Benghazi. But, Trey told us all very clearly that he doesn’t want to be Speaker, and we have to respect his decision. And it’s for good reason. Our Select Committee is in the midst of a very busy time, and as Chairman Gowdy’s op-ed in USA Today highlights, there is much work to do. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will be testifying on Oct
ober 22, which is really just a few days away.”
McCarthy’s comments on TV Sunday where he appeared to suggest that the Benghazi committee was partisan likely helped lead to the demise of his candidacy which was already being challenged by conservatives inside and outside the caucus.
Rep. Roby said, “Our investigation is guided by one often-stated but powerful principle: the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”
Representative Daniel Webster (R-Florida) and Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) remain candidates but Speaker Boehner has postponed a vote on the Speaker Election. Speaker Boehner issued a statement on the election for a new Speaker of the House of Representatives: “After Leader McCarthy’s announcement, members of the House Republican Conference will not vote today for a new Speaker. As I have said previously, I will serve as Speaker until the House votes to elect a new Speaker. We will announce the date for this election at a later date, and I’m confident we will elect a new Speaker in the coming weeks. Our conference will work together to ensure we have the strongest team possible as we continue to focus on the American people’s priorities.”
Congresswoman Martha Roby represents Alabama’s Second Congressional District.
