GOP Strategist Says Moderate Republicans Are Looking to ‘Flex Their Muscles,’ But Sometimes ‘They Don’t Even Know Where the Gym Is’

The former communications director of the Republican National Committee said moderate House Republicans have gotten their act together after repeatedly exhibiting an inability to do so.

Doug Heye said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s speakership bid in the next Congress appears on the cusp of succeeding, despite efforts from a handful of Republican lawmakers aiming to thwart it. Republicans will have a narrow majority after retaking the House in November’s midterm elections.

On Thursday, CNN host Bianna Golodryga asked Heye about the state of McCarthy’s attempt to secure 218 votes and the speakership in January.

There has reportedly been talk among the Republican conference of potentially removing anti-McCarthy lawmakers from their committee assignments in an effort to get them in line.

“What’s going on in terms of your party’s leadership right now?” she asked. “The more moderate Republicans in the House are trying to perhaps–they offered the carrot option and now they’re going for the stick option for some of the ultraconservatives in the party that simply don’t want him in leadership once Republicans take over the House.”

Heye sounded optimistic about McCarthy’s chances.

“It’s very interesting in the House right now,” Heye said. “We often hear that the Republican moderates are going to flex their muscles. It seems every six months there’s an issue [that] comes up where moderates starting to talk about flexing their muscle and quite often they don’t even know where the gym is. But this time, they’re organized, they’re active.”

He went on to note that some House Republicans have been wearing buttons read “O.K.” for “Only Kevin.”

“Moderates are in this for a long fight,” Heye continued. “And they’re going after the Freedom Caucus part of the Republican conference in a way that they usually talk about but don’t do. This is a pretty significant development and bodes well for Kevin as this very difficult process moves forward.”

Watch above via CNN.

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