‘Not Great Right Now’: McCarthy Debt Deal Votes In Question, DeSantis Slams As ‘Totally Inadequate’

With a US default projected for Monday, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has precious little time to convince several GOP holdouts to come around and vote for a debt ceiling deal that’s been widely panned by several conservatives.

McCarthy’s team thinks they can avoid disaster at today’s House Rules Committee at 3pm ET today, however Reps. Chip Roy (R-TX), Ralph Norman (R-SC), and Thomas Massie (R-KY) – three conservatives who serve on the panel – may not vote for the rule which allows the Fiscal Responsibility Act to come to the floor, Punchbowl News reports.

All three have expressed reservations about the bill – however Massie may still back the rule, making him the ‘key figure in today’s drama,’ according to Punchbowl. Of note, there are nine Republicans and four Democrats on the panel – so if Roy and Norman vote ‘no’ then Massie needs to vote ‘yes’ for the bill to survive.

Keep in mind this fascinating exchange Massie had with reporters four months ago. Our friend Erik Wasson of Bloomberg asked the Kentucky Republican if he would be “a firewall” on the Rules Committee to make sure a clean debt-limit increase never made it onto the floor. Here’s Massie:

“Over the past 10 years, I’ve been an advocate of regular order and trying to make things work, try to make this place work right. And I would be reluctant to try to use the Rules Committee to achieve a legislative outcome, particularly if it doesn’t represent a large majority of our caucus.

“So I don’t ever intend to use my position on there to hold somebody hostage or hold legislation hostage.” -Punchbowl

Meanwhile, House Freedom Caucus Chair Scott Perry (R-PA) is holding a press conference today too.

Here’s the schedule of events.

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