(NewsNation) — South Carolina Rep. Nancy Mace was among a group of Republican representatives who voted to end Kevin McCarthy’s speakership.
Mace argued that her decision was not driven by ideological differences but by her belief that McCarthy had failed to fulfill his promises on how the House would operate.
Mace joined “On Balance With Leland Vittert” to discuss Republicans’ plan to replace McCarthy as speaker, saying, “We have a lot of work to do.”
The congresswoman emphasized that the plan moving forward is to hold votes for a new speaker in the upcoming weeks.
“I met with Jim Jordan yesterday, I will be meeting with Steve Scalise, as well,” she said. “I’m looking at this as an opportunity to unify and get to work.”
Both Jordan and Scalise are considered potential candidates for the position.
“We need to roll up our sleeves over the next couple of weeks,” she said.
While former President Donald Trump has been rumored as a possible candidate for the speaker position, Mace says that she has not talked with him.
Trump is in talks to make a trip to Capitol Hill next week.
Trump told Fox News that if Republicans cannot come to a consensus to replace McCarthy, he would be willing to take the speakership for a short “30, 60 or 90-day period.”
Mace addressed the chaotic nature of the speaker vote and its potential negative portrayal of Republicans, saying not all media outlets will be sympathetic to the party.
“You can’t say one thing to conservatives, another thing to moderates, and then something else to Democrats,” she said. “Consensus and bringing people together isn’t giving everyone everything all the time, because that’s just … you can’t do that. That’s a lie. And so we need someone who’s going to be honest, even when we disagree, and that’s OK.”