Senate Republicans are holding out hope they will be able to work with the House GOP next year even as they acknowledge “tensions are high” among Republicans on Capitol Hill over the omnibus.
On Tuesday, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said legislation from Republican senators, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), would be “dead on arrival” in the House under his speakership if they vote “yes” later this week on the $1.7 trillion spending bill, giving his stamp of approval to a letter signed by 13 House Republicans who vowed to whip against legislation from those senators.
McCarthy’s comments come as he faces an uphill battle in gaining the support of a group of hard-line conservatives in his quest to become the next speaker of the House.
‘DEAD ON ARRIVAL’: MCCARTHY THREATENS TO TANK MCCONNELL’S AGENDA IF SENATE GOP VOTES FOR OMNIBUS
Agreed. Except no need to whip—when I’m Speaker, their bills will be dead on arrival in the House if this nearly $2T monstrosity is allowed to move forward over our objections and the will of the American people. https://t.co/WCC477R4IM
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) December 20, 2022
‘IT’S ALL IN JEOPARDY’: MCCARTHY SAYS GOP OPPONENTS OF HOUSE SPEAKER BID HAVE NOT BUDGED
McCarthy has taken aim specifically at McConnell, saying he was “wrong” to cut a year-end spending deal with Democrats during a recent appearance on Fox News. He argued the GOP should instead punt the issue until 2023, when Republicans take control of the House.
McCarthy’s pointed comments come after he told House Republicans last week that he was a “hell no” on the spending package that McConnell declared a “broadly appealing” deal just a few hours later.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), a close McConnell ally and party whip from 2013-2019, conceded that temperatures were high when asked about the letter but expressed hope that “cooler heads” will prevail next year.
“I think that doesn’t sound like a recipe for working together in the best interest of the country. So, I think there’s just maybe a word spoken during the heat of passion,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
Asked by the Washington Examiner what he thought about the threat made by McCarthy specifically, Cornyn said, “I think he’s trying to get elected speaker.”
This was just the latest split between the two Republican leaders, who have been at odds over a range of legislative issues this year. Bills that instituted new gun safety programs, bolstered the country’s infrastructure, and increased semiconductor chip production were signed into law with support from McConnell and opposition from McCarthy. The Senate minority leader has strongly supported funding to help Ukraine’s fight against Russia, while the House GOP leader has been against providing a “blank check” to the country.
The two Republican leaders have also taken vastly different approaches to dealing with former President Donald Trump. McCarthy quickly mended fences with Trump after the Jan. 6 attack. Meanwhile, McConnell hasn’t communicated with Trump since December 2020. McConnell has made it clear he believes the party needs to move on from the former president’s false stolen election claims and places blame for the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol squarely at Trump’s feet.
McConnell didn’t let on any frustration with McCarthy when asked by reporters on Tuesday whether he supports him for House speaker, saying, “Absolutely, I’m pulling for Kevin. I hope he makes it.”
Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD), when asked what he made of McCarthy’s jab at McConnell, told the Washington Examiner he doesn’t think McConnell is taking it personally.
“McConnell’s used to taking the jabs, as you guys all know,” he said.
“The rhetoric is a little hot right now. Understandably, I mean the tensions are high, and they’re high in the House. There’s a lot going on there right now,” he said. “Hopefully, next year things will settle down, calm down, maybe not. I think, at least temporarily, will calm down a little bit, and we’ll figure out — we have to figure out how to work together. We need to be a team up here.”
Thune, who serves as McConnell’s top deputy, expects there to be a detente after the omnibus is passed later this week.
“If we end up getting this budget deal through here and the House passes it, they’ll start next year with a clean slate. And I think in a lot of ways, that’s probably a good thing. But that doesn’t seem to be their current point of view,” he said.
David Sivak contributed to this report.
