Kentucky Republican doesn’t rule out motion to vacate McCarthy Speakership during this Congress 

Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) on Sunday didn’t rule out the possibility of a motion to vacate the Speakership being put forward during this Congress after Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) secured the top House leadership slot.

As he worked to flip holdouts within his party and secure the votes he needed to take the Speakership, McCarthy agreed to lower the threshold for forcing a vote to oust the House Speaker to just one lawmaker.

“I’m not convinced we can go the entire Congress without having it. But I believe that if that’s used, I believe that, right now, the overwhelming majority … of Republicans realize that Kevin McCarthy needs a chance to govern, and we’re going to give him a chance,” Comer said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

“I’m not going to say there won’t be one person who tries to abuse that motion, but I’m confident that McCarthy’s going to be able to be given the green light to govern and to lead this conference and do the things we told the American people we were going to do during the midterm elections,” Comer added.

Around 20 Republicans cast ballots for alternate candidates throughout 15 rounds of voting before McCarthy garnered enough votes to win the Speakership, signaling tensions within the party even as it takes power with a majority of House seats.