Republican Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado said he had “multiple conversations” with Kevin McCarthy and told the House Republican leader he needed to make a deal with lawmakers who opposed his speakership or stepped down.
McCarthy “needs to figure out how to get a deal to move forward and keep it simple,” Barker said, before referring to the House of Representatives. Steve Scalise.
“I said to Kevin at some point, you know, you’ve got to make sure you either get a deal or you have to give Steve [Scalise] Take a chance or someone else and see if they can put it together. My sense is that Kevin got more votes than anybody else,” Barker told reporters outside the House.
“Some of the 20 are not going to vote for Kevin McCarthy, but they are going to vote for someone else. And there are some who … want to change the rules, and there are some who care about policy. I think if Steve Fulfill those three needs, and he’ll be able to move on and serve as speaker,” Barker told CNN’s Dana Bash shortly after speaking with reporters.
Barker told CNN that “the whole meeting today needs to be decided.”
Buck told reporters the House was in “a state of disarray and disarray,” but he remained “optimistic.”
“All you need is one vote, two votes, right, and then you get a speaker, you get people sworn in, and you move forward,” Barker said.
“I shouldn’t say his name, but there are some people who have personal disagreements, and the gaps are so small that those guys can make a difference,” Barker said.