Kevin McCarthy (Republican from California) is optimistic that he can narrowly win January’s Speakership.
McCarthy said Tuesday that if McCarthy does not get enough votes on January 3 (which is 218 votes if all members vote for someone), he will run for the next ballot.

McCarthy stated via Axios that “At the end of the day, we’ll get there.” ”

McCarthy will be challenged by a few House Freedom Caucus members, who are anti-establishment House Freedom Caucus Members. They said they were either against McCarthy or hard no to his election as speaker.

The group currently includes Reps. Andy Biggs (R-FL), Matt Gaetz (R–VA), Matt Rosendale/R–MT), and Ralph Norman (R–NC).

Other Freedom Caucus members, such as Chairman Rep. Scott Perry (R.PA), were open to voting for McCarthy. They indicated however that their support would be contingent at least partially on McCarthy’s negotiations with them about conference rule changes.

McCarthy met with several members from different conferences, including some from Freedom Caucus, Tuesday to discuss rule changes.

It was a great conversation. ”

McCarthy won with 188 votes. Biggs was the challenger to McCarthy and received 31 votes.

Matthew Boyle, Breitbart News’s editor, said that McCarthy’s 188 votes were impressive and more than those received by former Speaker Paul Ryan during his 2015 conference vote.

McCarthy is currently in negotiations to resolve any questions or concerns. Biggs said Wednesday morning that he does not believe McCarthy has enough votes to win the role of speaker.

Biggs said that he doesn’t have 218 right now.

Although the House majority was won in the midterms by Republicans, it was only by five seats after all final results were accounted for. McCarthy can’t afford to lose some of his potential supporters before his chances of winning are severely diminished.