Rep. Daniel Webster (R-FL), the conservative lawmaker the House Freedom Caucus endorsed ahead of Thursday’s GOP speaker nomination conference, told his colleagues at a closed door meeting Thursday morning that he would not commit his support to the eventual GOP nominee for speaker, Politico reported.
Anonymous sources in the meeting told Politico Webster said his stance was out of “personal principle,” however other members of the caucus have said they would support Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) if he became the nominee.
McCarthy is considered the top contender in Thursday’s closed-door nomination contest, which is only among Republicans. However, if the eventual nominee cannot get enough of the conservatives to support him for the full House vote later this month — where 218 votes are needed — it could set the stage for a protracted leadership fight.
