Fox News host Laura Ingraham pressed Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) during an interview Tuesday over the apparent lack of plans from a group of Republicans who are opposing Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) bid to be House speaker.
“Now, some are saying and I think Kevin McCarthy’s folks are saying that they already gave you guys a number of key concessions,” Ingraham said. “Frankly, if I were he, I might not have given them, if I were, you know, trying to become speaker.”
“So what is your endgame at this point, given the three votes and yet you all don’t have one candidate who can get to 218?” she asked. “At least not yet.”
Roy responded by pointing out his issues with McCarthy and in part blaming McCarthy for the U.S.’s massive national debt.
“You still have to get 218. So again, I’m going to ask you, what is your endgame here?” she asked. “Because it looks like we could be going to something, in my view, a lot worse than someone who is — who passes an ideological purity test, understanding all your points here.”
Roy responded by saying their opposition was not an “ideological purity test” and that the concessions from McCarthy had not yet been sufficient.
“But my question to you again. You have to get from point A to point B. I understand frustration with the establishment. Long before you were on Capitol Hill, I’ve been fighting the establishment. So I get that,” Ingraham said. “But you still have to be able to get to point B. So my question is a very specific one. Would you rather have Hakeem Jeffries in a position of authority in the House, rather than have McCarthy as speaker with the concessions that, you did get a number of concessions.”
“Would you rather have a coalition where you could be in the minority, opposing the Democrats, yes or no?” she asked.
Roy said her question was a “false choice” because no Republican would ever vote for Jeffries.
WATCH:
Chip Roy: McCarthy just burned himself pic.twitter.com/FmKlZ1ODtG
— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) January 4, 2023