Justin Amash sat back and sipped on the whiskey Kevin McCarthy had poured for him earlier. He had just finished explaining to Kevin and Eric his plan to oust Speaker Boehner and place Eric Cantor, the current Majority Leader, into the position. It was risky explaining to them his plan, but he didn't have all that much to lose as a backbench congressman from a wing of the party the Establishment already held in contempt.
“And in return,” Cantor asked him bluntly, setting his own glass of whiskey on the desk, “What do you want? Kevin's spot as Whip?”
“Not quite,” Justin hesitated, “Your spot, Eric. Majority Leader.”
“And why am I supposed to support this?” Kevin demanded from him.
“I don't want to stay in the House forever,” he said, raising his hand to calm the Majority Whip's temper, “Just keep me on as Majority Leader until I announce a Senate bid – I plan on running in twenty-eighteen – and I will support you to replace me.” Justin offered a reassuring smile, “Eric becomes Speaker ten years ahead of schedule, you become Majority Leader a half dozen years ahead of schedule, and I build a platform to make my way into the Senate. But beyond that, you quiet a very vocal opposition faction within the party, and that will make governing a whole lot smoother process. Particularly with the GOP holding the House and Senate next for the next two years or more.”
“I could get behind that,” Kevin replied, relaxing as he did so. “I'm no fan of the Tea Party, but if giving them an insider for four years will bring them into the fold... Hell, why not, Eric?”
“You do know I couldn't outwardly support you to succeed me, right?” Eric asked Justin. “Not with the caucus you lead being my core of support. The people would hate it. I've spent a long time trying not to look like I would do something like this. If I am, I need to appear above this, to say the least.
“But I could,” Kevin cut Justin off. “If you become Speaker, people will look at me to replace you. I could endorse Justin and no one would be the wiser.”
“Until Justin endorses you to replace him,” Eric commented.
“That's three years down the road, however, and not only will the intra-party politics that got me elected Majority Leader be forgotten, but I could play it off as having formed a good working relationship with Kevin.”
There was a moment of silence between the three of them. “So we go through with this?” Eric asked, taking another sip of his drink.
“I think so,” Justin told them.
But I'm not the one with something to lose, he thought.
“I think I could add a sizable amount of support to the House Liberty Caucus,” Kevin told them.
“And we can pull in more than just our members into this effort,” Justin offered.
“Let's call it what it is, please,” Eric told them, “This is a coup. Is it enough support?”
“With a little under two months to plan? We might be able to pull it off,” Kevin told him. “Just keep the lid on this thing very tight.”
“So it's decided, then?” Justin asked. “We make Eric the Speaker, push Boehner to the sidelines, I get the Majority Leader position with Kevin's endorsement, and I endorse Kevin when I resign from the leadership to run for Senate in 2018.”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” Kevin replied.
“Do you think the public will be behind us?” Eric asked, finishing his drink.
“Everyone is sick of Boehner,” Kevin insisted. Justin agreed with him. “The base is tired of his games and everyone else is upset with the gridlock in Congress. With the possibility of a shutdown next month, sacking Boehner will help the GOP in the public eye, and 2016 is going to be the best shot to turn the White House red that we'll get for a while. We need the public to like us to win, though.” Justin saw Eric was nodding at the logic Kevin had just laid out.
This is going to be a big win for conservatives. We're finally going to make major inroads into the party leadership.
“Justin,” Eric asked him, “What are you aiming for beyond that Senate seat?”
President, he thought. Of course, all he said was, “You're a smart man, Eric. I'm sure you have some ideas.”
“Justin,” Kevin said, “I never thought you'd be one to scheme. You always seemed to care more about ideology.”
“And I do. But all three of us are fiscal conservatives. And seeing what Paul has been able to do... Well I think the Senate is a better platform for my ideology. So you help me and I'll help you.”
“If we're doing this in the name of making the GOP liked by the public again and fiscal conservatism,” Eric started. “No, never mind. I'm not sure what I was going for there,” he finished.
Justin tried to think of what Eric meant to say. “You want to know who I plan on supporting in 2016, don't you?”
Eric smiled at him, “Yes.”
“Rand Paul,” he said plainly. “He is the only one that could win us the White House again. I plan on endorsing him whether I am Majority Leader or not, however.” Justin finished his glass and set it down. Kevin moved to get him another – it was in the Whip's office that they decided it would look least suspicious for them to meet – but Justin motioned that he didn't want any more.
“I wouldn't say he is the only one,” Eric said, “Two years is a long time in politics, Justin. And there are plenty of horses lining up for this race.”
“And which horse are you backing?” Justin asked.
“We're doing this for fiscal conservatism, yes, but also to make the party have broader appeal. We need women, in my opinion.”
“But you won't tell me who you're backing?”
“I've yet to fully decide. But I suppose if I was Speaker, it would put me in a pristine position to help draft a candidate that could win over a wide range of demographics.”
Does he want to draft Governor Martinez? I didn't think she'd ever run.
“That doesn't necessarily mean it has to be a woman, Eric,” Kevin said with a chuckle. “They don't all vote as a block.”
“Fair enough,” Eric conceded, adding his own laugh to Kevin's and Justin's.
“If I may bring us back to the original intent of the meeting,” Justin said, bringing silence back to the room, “Move carefully in finding who you can draft to vote for you, Eric, on January 3rd.”
“Of course,” Eric said, standing. Kevin and Justin quickly followed suit. “If you would excuse me, however, I have a late lunch meeting with Speaker Boehner.” The three laughed at the irony of Eric Cantor's situation and shook hands as he departed.
Kevin McCarthy was putting away the glasses they had used and the bottle of whiskey into a drawer in his desk. Justin Amash handed him the glass he had used, saying, “I was very worried you wouldn't go along with this plan, Kevin. It's so nice to see you join in.”
“And it's nice to know you won't be as vocal against the leadership with you on the inside,” he laughed. “In all seriousness, though, I'd like to be Speaker one day, and I think Eric is angling for a cabinet position with the next Republican administration. But I think he'd wait at least until the 20's before he took one. You know, he'd wait until he has a few years as Speaker under his belt. And by that time, I'll be in a pristine position to take his place.”
“It's been a pleasure working with you, Kevin.”
“And the same to you, Justin,” the two shook hands and Justin left the Majority Whip's office.