Some House conservatives regard McCarthy’s decision to go out on that limb as an public indication of a disagreement between the top two House Republicans. Rumors of a brewing coup, from any quarter, were greatly exaggerated, but it does seem that last week’s House Republican debate over funding DHS endeared McCarthy to an unlikely wing of the conference, at Boehner’s expense.
Aides to the senior lawmakers denied any breach. “Our entire leadership team was on the same page,” says Mike Long, a spokesman for the majority leader.
“McCarthy and Boehner and [House Majority Whip Steve Scalise] all went on the Sunday shows and emphasized that the right thing to do under our constitution, in regular order, is for the Senate to agree to go to conference and resolve the difference between the bills,” Boehner spokesman Michael Steel says in concurrence.
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