Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is making a new play for influence, becoming a surprising yet crucial defender of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
Why it matters: Greene has a playbook to follow from another bombastic outsider who climbed the ranks within the House GOP, moving from a fringe conservative to a key party player who now serves in leadership — Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio).
- “Jim and I talk frequently … we’re similar thinkers,” Greene told Axios about Jordan, a co-founder of the House Freedom Caucus and longtime antagonist of GOP leadership.
- Jordan was one of the first high-profile members to publicly support Greene when she first ran for office, and she continues to seek his advice, sources familiar with their relationship tell Axios.
The big picture: Greene is betting that backing up McCarthy in his time of dire need will pave a path to legitimacy and power if he becomes speaker.
- She’s increasingly drawing herself closer to the establishment without abandoning…
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