Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made an appearance on CNN's State of the Union shortly after Matt Gaetz promised to file a motion to vacate, and was asked by host Jake Tapper how she would vote if that happens. Ocasio-Cortez made clear that any help from Democrats to keep McCarthy in power would come at a steep price.
OCASIO-CORTEZ: Well, my vote beginning this term for Speaker of the House was Hakeem Jeffries, and I do not intend on voting for a Republican Speaker of the House, but I believe that it's up to the Republican conference to determine their own leadership and deal with their own problems. But it's not up to democrats to save Republicans from themselves, especially.
TAPPER: So do you think that there will be any Democrats that might vote to save McCarthy?
OCASIO-CORTEZ: I mean, I certainly don't think that we would expect to see that unless there's a real conversation between the Republican and Democratic caucuses, and Republican and Democratic leadership about what that would mean, but I don't think we give up votes for free.
TAPPER: And do you -- but would you vote to vacate? Would you vote to get rid of McCarthy as Speaker?
OCASIO-CORTEZ: Would I cast that vote, absolutely. I think Kevin McCarthy is a very weak Speaker. He has clearly lost control of his caucus. He has brought the United States and millions of Americans to the brink waiting until the final hour to keep the government open, and even then only issuing a 45-day extension, so we're going to be right back in this place in November.
And, you know, I think that our main priority has to be the American people and what's going to keep our governance in a cohesive and strong place, but unless Kevin McCarthy asks for a vote, again, I don't think we give something away for free.
TAPPER: Yeah, I've heard your fellow squad member, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar say that Democrats should only support McCarthy in exchange for a 50/50 power sharing agreement.
OCASIO-CORTEZ: Well, I think when it comes to power sharing, we will discuss that as a caucus, and what we would finally accept or not, but again, it's going to, it comes at a price. You don't just vote for a Republican Speaker for nothing. That's not what we were elected here to do. We were elected here to make sure that we raise the minimum wage to a living wage, to make sure that we cap the prices of prescription drugs, and to make sure that we work for working class Americans.
