Will Democrats Regret Not Saving McCarthy?

A couple of days ago, when word came that Florida Republican Matt Gaetz would file a motion to vacate the Speaker's chair, I posed the question as to whether Democrats would save Kevin McCarthy as they had with regard to keeping the government open. 

Well, Democrats answered this question with a resounding no!!! Not a single Democrat backed him. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries made the signal when he declared, “It is now the responsibility of the GOP members to end the House Republican Civil War.”

I thought there was a possibility that some Democrats would side with McCarthy as "the devil you know." However, as Tim Miller of The Bulwark this was an impossible task for Democrats as McCarthy "voted to overthrow our democracy."  But what of McCarthy's successor. Surely, he or she will be on record for challenging the results of the 2020 election and downplaying the significance of January 6th. At the moment, it appears New York Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, the third ranking Republican in the House, will be the next Speaker of the House and has gone all in on election denialism while questioning the legitimacy of the January 6th Committee.

Given McCarthy's weak position, Democrats had more leverage than would have had otherwise. But a new Speaker is not likely to be subject to conditions in which Matt Gaetz or any other Republican could end their tenure on a whim. On the other hand, Democrats might accept a short-term loss of leverage if it means Republican chaos results in their regaining the House in 2024. But what if the chaos in the Republican ranks stops or at least recedes?

Mind you, I don't feel sorry for Kevin McCarthy. He was willing to do anything to become Speaker even if it rendered the power and prestige of that job meaningless. McCarthy had no dignity. But many of his Republican colleagues are both less dignified and more dangerous. In which case, Democrats might be careful of what they wish.