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Louie Gohmert: Boehner Postponed Speaker Vote 'Like Any Good Dictator Would
Rep. Louis Gohmert (R-Texas) (Image source: Facebook)

Louie Gohmert: Boehner Postponed Speaker Vote 'Like Any Good Dictator Would

"This is not supposed to be a dictatorship."

Rep. Louie Gohmert blasted John Boehner for his decision to postpone the Republicans' vote for the next House speaker, saying he acted "like any good dictator would" because he wants to choose his own successor.

Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, arrives for a meeting with House Republicans after the Senate leaders reached last-minute agreement Wednesday to avert a threatened Treasury default and reopen the government after a partial, 16-day shutdown, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2013. AP AP

"It actually pointed to the reason we need a new speaker, and that is because it's like he feels he has to pick a successor, like any good dictator would," the Texas Republican said in comments to TheBlaze Thursday night after House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy abruptly took himself out of the running as GOP members gathered for the secret-ballot vote. "But this is not supposed to be a dictatorship. This was an awesome time, a great opportunity for the conference to come together after Kevin's announcement and have a family discussion."

McCarthy pulled out of the race the day after the conservative House Freedom Caucus, whose members oppose Boehner, backed Florida Rep. Daniel Webster over McCarthy and Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz, the third member who placed himself in the running.

"Those kind of things [for House Republicans to determine themselves whether to move forward] I think would be very healing, very helpful, but instead, our speaker chose to just announce, vote's postponed and we're adjourned," Gohmert said. "Not sure where we go from here, we missed a great opportunity due to the speaker's knee-jerk reaction."

Gohmert said he's still hoping "we will be able to elect somebody like Dan Webster, who I support, to help bring the conference together by empowering the entire conference."

"Obviously, the speaker feels like he needs to find some other successor he can appoint, but that's not the way it's supposed to work, and we'll go from here," Gohmert said.

Correction: TheBlaze initially misidentified Gohmert as a member of the House Freedom Caucus.

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