The M.T.G.-McCarthy Referendum

Marjorie Taylor-Greene
In supporting McCarthy’s Speakership bid, M.T.G. is testing a longstanding cardinal rule of MAGA politics. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Tina Nguyen
December 28, 2022

For the sprawling, decentralized, increasingly inchoate MAGA political universe, it’s near impossible to keep one’s mind off of the upcoming House Speaker elections, next Tuesday, wherein Kevin McCarthy’s run for the gavel has been stymied by five intransigent, far-right Republican so-called “saboteurs” nicknamed the Never Kevins, whose firm opposition alone prevents McCarthy from the consummation of a career-long dream: nabbing the 218 votes required to rule the roost. McCarthy’s political knot is even more complex, of course. There’s a second block of Republicans within the Freedom Caucus whose support of McCarthy is conditioned on the restoration of the Motion to Vacate rule, effectively giving them the ability to detonate his collar if he crosses them. Matt Gaetz, their most voluble spokesman, has implied that they would be cool with Steve Scalise who is similar to McCarthy in every fashion besides his DNA. So, it’s personal.