Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) made a rare appearance on MSNBC late Wednesday evening, participating in an interview with host Stephanie Ruhle that at times grew contentious as the congresswoman discussed her efforts to block Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) bid to claim the House Speakership.
“I want you to know that we are not giving her a free pass to talk about conspiracy theories, we’re not giving her a free pass to talk about the lies that she has spread at other times,” Ruhle said as she explained to her audience why she was having the staunchly conservative congresswoman on. “But trying to understand what is keeping Congress from starting the work of the American people, that’s why we talked to her tonight.”
During Wednesday’s interview, Ruhle repeatedly pressed Boebert on why she and a handful of other Republicans are standing in the way of McCarthy’s bid for the Speakership, which had failed over six votes as of that evening.
“Look, Kevin McCarthy has been in leadership for 14 years. What does he have to show for that?” the Republican said. “We aren’t just electing somebody who can fundraise and just rubberstamp him into office. That’s not what I was elected to do. … But this is us working and actually using our votes, and I believe our Founding Fathers intended it to be this way.”
“OK, well, our Founding Fathers aren’t here,” Ruhle replied. “So let’s get real and let’s get practical.”
Ruhle then asked Boebert about alternatives to McCarthy.
“Let’s actually name names. I’m going to be bold. I’m going to take the leap and say Byron Donalds is not going to get to 218. … So let’s go with realistic names. Could you support Steve Scalise?” Ruhle said.
“I don’t think that I could support any current leadership, and I believe that many of my colleagues feel the same way,” Boebert replied. “We need a change in leadership, and so that isn’t a name that I’m entertaining.”
Donalds (R-Fla.) was nominated for Speaker multiple times Wednesday by opponents of McCarthy, while Scalise (R-La.), the House majority leader, has been floated as an alternative.
Later, Ruhle asked Boebert to respond to critics within her own party who have asserted that she is grandstanding or seeking media attention.
“Dan Crenshaw and these other Republicans, do you see yourself working with them again? In the last 24 hours, he’s called you the enemy and said you would rather work with Democrats than Republicans. He thinks you’re doing all of this for attention. And let’s be honest, you’ve never been on with me before,” Ruhle said.
“We’re going to handle the issues that the American people care about. We just need to elect a Speaker. And it’s OK if it takes a couple of days. It’s not the end of the world. There will be a new news cycle that comes around,” Boebert replied.
The interview was the second in a matter of hours Boebert gave on cable news as she continues to defend her opposition to McCarthy. On Fox News, conservative host Sean Hannity, who supports McCarthy, pressed Boebert about her opposition, asking her if it’s time “for you and your side to pack it in considering he [McCarthy] has over 200 [votes] and you have 20” before accusing her of treating the Speakership race “like a game show.”