As John Boehner prepares to make his exit at the end of the month, Republican infighting could once again trip him up. The Hill reports that the House speaker, who is poised to retire Oct. 30, told his friend Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) just last week: "I had this terrible nightmare last night that I was trying to get out and I couldn't get out."
Based on doubts that Republicans can get the requisite 218 votes to elect party favorite Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) as speaker — and the rule that a speaker's resignation cannot take effect until there is a new speaker — it's looking like Boehner's worst nightmare could very well become a reality.
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If McCarthy doesn't win 218 votes in the formal floor vote, there will be additional rounds of voting. If those rounds don't produce a GOP candidate for speaker that has 218 votes, Boehner will not, in fact, be able to get out.
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