Democrat Henry Cuellar rejects GOP requests to switch parties, reports

Rep. Henry Cuellar, a moderate Texas Democrat, has reportedly rejected multiple requests from allies of House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to join the Republican Party after the midterm elections.

McCarthy and his staff were not part of the conversations and have denied involvement, according to multiple news reports on Monday.

House election results are still undecided, but the GOP is currently one seat short of the 218 required to be in the majority. Republicans would be guaranteed the majority if Cuellar switched parties, and he was reportedly offered committee positions as an incentive.

Cuellar, who is pro-life, supports border security and is against banning assault weapons, repeatedly rejected the alleged offers to join the GOP. 

"Anyone suggesting this is simply exercising in fan fiction. Leader McCarthy is going to be elected Speaker by the current and newly-elected members of the House Republican Conference," McCarthy spokesperson Mark Bednar told Politico.

However, a person familiar with the matter told The Daily Mail: "This is McCarthy trying to flip a lifelong Democrat because of the Republicans' poor midterm results and missing out on a red wave."