Republican Representative Lauren Boebert of Colorado challenged former President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Representative Kevin McCarthy for speaker of the House during a floor speech on Wednesday, The Daily Caller reports.
The House was conducting its fifth vote for a new speaker.
Boebert nominated Republican Representative Byron Donalds of Florida, who received 20 votes in the fourth and fifth ballots.
Rep. Boebert also claimed that she and some of her Republican colleagues faced “threats” during conference discussions to secure McCarthy’s victory as speaker.
“Our job is not to crown the biggest fundraiser or blindly support the status quo,” Boebert said.
“It’s to use our votes to choose a speaker who will help us get our country back on track. That means selecting a leader who upholds Republican principles, fosters consensus, and has a successful track record.”
The Colorado representative also addressed Trump’s call for Republicans to “close the deal” and “take the victory,” stating that the “president needs to tell Kevin McCarthy that he does not have the votes and it’s time to withdraw.”
This statement was met with negative reactions from those present in the chamber.
The House adjourned on Tuesday after three failed votes to elect a speaker.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the members-elect had cast two more ballots without any candidate receiving the required 218 votes to win the position.
