U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan not happy, but won’t quit over snub

Did newly elected House Speaker Kevin McCarthy block Rep. Vern Buchanan’s move to become Ways & Means Committee chairman?

After Buchanan lost the vote, according to an anonymously sourced article in the online news agency Puck, the normally calm Sarasota Republican angrily reproached McCarthy, dropping an F-bomb, and accused McCarthy of whipping votes against him.

There’s been speculation McCarthy’s deal with right-wingers to win the speakership included backing self-described “firebrand” Jason Smith, R-Mo., against Buchanan, the committee’s senior member.

There’s also been speculation that Buchanan would retire as result.

Buchanan advisor Max Goodman played the incident down.

“Vern simply expressed his disappointment to the speaker,” he said. “Vern’s moving forward and eager to get started on his agenda for the new Congress.

“Talks that Vern will resign are absurd.”