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Colorado Republican Representative Lauren Boebert rejected former Republican President Donald Trump's call for Republicans to support former House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy's bid for the House speakership.
Boebert said Trump should tell McCarthy to "withdraw" following multiple humiliating votes that have defined what The New York Times referred to as a "right-wing rebellion" designed to block him from the speakership.
Trump has tried and failed to swing votes for McCarthy whether through private calls with lawmakers or his public calls via his social media platform Truth Social for Republicans to "CLOSE THE DEAL" or risk "embarrassing" themselves after securing control of the House of Representatives following November's midterm elections.
But Boebert instead threw her support behind Florida Republican Representative Byron Donalds—who obtained enough Republican votes to deny McCarthy the speakership in the fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds of voting—showing no sign she intends to end the stalemate in the House.
You can hear what Boebert said in the video below.
\u201cIn remarks nominating Byron Donalds for House Speaker on the fifth ballot, Lauren Boebert says former President Trump "needs to tell Kevin McCarthy that, 'sir, you do not have the votes, and it's time to withdraw'" to an audible reaction from the chamber.\u201d— Spencer Brown (@Spencer Brown) 1672859140
Boebert said:
“Praise the work and the leadership of Byron Donalds. So let’s work together, let’s stop with the campaign smears and tactics to get people to turn against us. Even having my favorite president call us and tell us we need to knock this off — I think it actually needs to be reversed."
“The president needs to tell Kevin McCarthy that sir you do not have the votes and it’s time to withdraw."
Boebert's dismissal of Trump's endorsement earned her significant criticism and prompted many to opine that Trump is losing his grip on the Republican Party.
More than a few also pointed out the irony of Boebert demanding Trump tell McCarthy to "withdraw" because he lacks the votes when she has openly supported Trump's attempts to subvert the results of the 2020 election, which he lost to Democratic President Joe Biden.
\u201cAllies don\u2019t try to embarrass you like this. @realDonaldTrump\u201d— BotMalto (@BotMalto) 1672864672
\u201cKind of wild coming from the wing of the party that thinks trump won\u2026\u201d— GoodTroublePolitics (@GoodTroublePolitics) 1672864357
\u201cWithout a doubt the most IRONIC thing to say. \ud83d\ude06\ud83d\ude06\ud83d\ude06 \u201cDonnie you gotta tell Kevin that he doesn\u2019t have the votes so he\u2019s gotta go\u201d\u201d— kathy's own \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@kathy's own \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1672863061
\u201cAnyone else notice the irony in her statement, or is it just me?\n\nShe wants DT to tell KM that he needs to withdraw because HE DOESN'T HAVE THE VOTES?!? Clearly, DT doesn't understand that concept. Not the best man for that job.\ud83e\udd23\ud83d\ude02\u201d— Anastasia Beaverhausen (@Anastasia Beaverhausen) 1672863815
\u201cThis should be terrifying to Republicans.\u201d— Mr. Adorablerd (@Mr. Adorablerd) 1672862870
\u201cThe republicans are imploding in real time on live TV they even mad at trump now \ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02\ud83d\ude02\u201d— Flagey. \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83d\udc79\uea00 (@Flagey. \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8\ud83d\udc79\uea00) 1672859308
\u201cIrony is Lauren Boebert(!) wanting Donald Trump(!!) to ask someone to concede, because they don\u2019t have the votes needed to win. \ud83e\udd14\ud83e\udd23\u201d— Rhys (@Rhys) 1672862053
Boebert's refusal to support McCarthy earned her a rebuke from House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, a Massachusetts Democrat, who earlier singled out Boebert as part of a group of GOP extremists that have ground House proceedings to a halt.
\u201cHouse Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) mocks House Republican dysfunction, highlighting the roles of extremist members:\n\n\u201cLauren Boebert is whipping votes, MTG is their spokesperson, and Matt Gaetz is negotiating the rules.\u201d\u201d— The Recount (@The Recount) 1672934137
But perhaps few interactions have highlighted the widening rift within the GOP between more establishment conservatives and far-right reactionaries than when she was criticized by Fox News personality Sean Hannity, one of the most influential figures in the realm of right-wing thought.
Hannity criticized Boebert during her appearance on his program, saying she was treating the House Speaker election as more of a "game show" that would risk the Republican base feeling "angry," "frustrated," and "betrayed."
\u201cdamn, Sean Hannity was not having it with Lauren Boebert last night\u201d— Aaron Rupar (@Aaron Rupar) 1672932717
Boebert's refusal to support McCarthy despite Trump's public overtures to the GOP is counterpointed by a statement from Florida Republican Representative Matt Gaetz, who has emerged as one of the ringleaders of the rebellion.
Gaetz used one of Trump's classic lines—"Sad!"—against him after Trump called on Republicans to support McCarthy, saying Trump's efforts change "neither my view of McCarthy, nor Trump, nor my vote."
After McCarthy moved into the Speaker’s office, Gaetz called him a "squatter" in a letter to Brett Blanton, the Architect of the Capitol, who leads the federal agency responsible for the maintenance, operation, development and preservation of the United States Capitol Complex.