Representative Chip Roy (R-TX) spoke with Texas Politics to discuss the possible regret within the Republican Conference after it expelled George Santos (R-NY), shrinking its own majority in the process.
On Tuesday night, the House of Representatives failed to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas by one vote.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) was the only absent representative for the vote. With his support (and/or a Santos vote), the bill would've passed. Leader Scalise did not attend as he is currently undergoing cancer treatment.
Either way, Republicans will likely run into similar situations (like Tuesday) in which they can only afford a few defectors. With such a slim majority, every vote is crucial.
Rep. Roy – who voted to retain Santos – said it was a mistake then but doesn’t constantly worry about vote totals as a lawmaker.
“I obviously didn’t vote for [expelling Santos]. You have to talk to others. I didn’t vote for it because due process matters. We shouldn’t just be expelling people because of what’s out there. You’ve got to prove the case up. We’ve never [expelled anyone] unless the court acted. I think that was a mistake, I thought that was a mistake then,” said Rep. Roy. “But I don’t view those things through the lens of like, ‘Well, where are we in our vote totals?’ If Steve [Scalise] were not battling cancer at MD Anderson, we would’ve had the votes last night but he wasn’t there.
“Which, God bless him, he’s doing what he needs to do,” concluded Roy.
Moreover, the Texas congressman also met with Texas Politics to discuss Secretary Mayorkas’ endorsement of the Senate border deal. He said it “tells you everything you need to know” about him.
“I think that’ll tell you everything you need to know, the guy who’s leaving our borders wide open and exposed to dangerous cartels, endangering the American people. That guy says we should support the bill? I would do the exact opposite,” said Rep. Roy.
The Texas congressman represents the Lone Star State’s 21st District.
