Florida U.S. Rep. Dan Webster has an even bigger eye on the speakership now that Kevin McCarthy has removed his name from the hat. During an interview on Fox News’ Shepard Smith Reporting, Webster said this may be an opportunity.
“I believe I can win some people over,” he said.
McCarthy, the former centrist pick to replace John Boehner, who abruptly announced he’d be leaving his post at the end of October, announced he was dropping out of the speakership race just moments before House Republicans were set to vote.
Since that move, Boehner said he will postpone the vote and stay on as Speaker of the House until a replacement is found.
So far, Webster is the only one who is actively vying for the top spot on Capital Hill. He’s backed by the Tea Party arm of the GOP, the Freedom Caucus, but isn’t gaining traction with the majority.
“I have a problem with the way the House is run. I believe that a few people at the top of a pyramid of power have controlled this place for a long time. I want to push down the pyramid of power, like I did in Florida, spread out the base so every member has a chance to be effective, take up the most important bills first, not last, and empower the members to pass their own bills. It’s a totally different system. I call it a principle-based system rather than a power-based system,” Webster said on Fox Thursday.
Asked whether the majority party and the Freedom Caucus could reach a consensus, Webster said he wasn’t sure.
“But I don’t think the time for compromise has passed. I don’t believe that. I don’t know exactly who that might be, but I’m hoping that I’ll be able to bridge that gap,” Webster said. “I think I can. I know I did it in Florida.”
Webster also said he didn’t think the vote would have been postponed had it been he who dropped out.
Following McCarthy’s announcement, Paul Ryan reiterated he would not seek the post. Other names being floated include Minnesota U.S. Rep. John Kline, Texas U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry and Oklahoma U.S. Rep. Tom Cole.
