Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., might be the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, but he is still not privy to any insider information, as to how Tuesday's House speakership vote will play out within the Republican-controlled House chamber.
"I'm hopeful that [current House Minority Leader] Kevin McCarthy will get to 218 votes, and if he doesn't, it's my understanding we're going to vote again," Comer told Newsmax's "Spicer & Co." on Monday. "At that point, the Republicans will try to see what direction this is going in.
"Some Republicans have already said they won't vote for anybody else except McCarthy," Comer said, adding to co-hosts Sean Spicer and Lyndsay Keith "it's getting awfully late in the game to find another speaker candidate. I'm just hoping for the best."
When asked about speculative reports of McCarthy cutting side deals to get the necessary 218 votes, including a special motion to "vacate the chair," Comer was somewhat dismissive about the contrived concession.
"Honestly, it's just a gimmick," according to Comer.
Alternatively, "a more credible argument would be fighting against [Democrats'] spending, fighting to have more representation on the committees. I don't think creating all this uncertainty," he continued, "over a gimmick motion is worth what some of my fellow colleagues" are trying to accomplish.
Comer also offered strong language for another rumor circulating through the House, in terms of Republicans potentially submitting a "secret candidate" to rival the McCarthy vote, or even the Democrats finagling their own candidate to secure the speakership — despite being in the chamber minority by nine seats.
"I honestly have no idea," Comer, who represents a number of people from the independent-minded House Freedom Caucus, said. "No one has been able to come up with that [secret] name.
"It's really too late in the game to try this ... it's disappointing."
The fallout of the 218 uncertainty has had an adverse effect on House committee assignments for the incoming Congress, Comer lamented.
For starters, the speakership delay has momentarily halted budgeting for the Republicans' pursuit of an oversight agenda that's heavy on "investigating the Biden administration," Comer continued.
"The Oversight Committee had planned to send all these letters out on Jan. 3," Comer said, "but if we don't have a speaker, then technically I don't get sworn in. Every day that we go without a speaker, it's just another delay of trying to hold the Biden administration accountable."
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