Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Monday that he is willing to resume serving as House speaker if enough of the Republicans who voted in favor of his ouster last week are open to his reinstatement.
“Whatever the conference wants, I will do,” McCarthy said during an interview on Hugh Hewitt’s syndicated radio program when asked about a possible return to the job.
McCarthy made the comment as the House Republican conference prepared to meet for the first time since Tuesday, when eight Republicans joined all Democrats present in voting for McCarthy’s removal. At that point, McCarthy said he would not run for a leadership role again.
At a news conference after his removal, McCarthy stated plainly: “I will not run for speaker again. I’ll have the conference pick somebody else.”
Many of the Republicans were upset with McCarthy for making a government funding deal with Democrats, tipping the scale to remove him from office.
Two other Republicans, Majority Leader Steve Scalise (La.) and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (Ohio), have launched bids to succeed McCarthy. It’s unclear whether either will be able to secure the votes needed to become speaker.
Asked by Hewitt if he would put himself forward to break a deadlock, McCarthy said: “Look, the conference has to make that decision.”
Without a full-time speaker, the House has been limited in its ability to operate. The violence that has erupted between Hamas and Israel over the weekend has underscored the limitations, as some members press for an aid package to Israel.
In his interview with Hewitt, McCarthy repeatedly emphasized Congress’s need to project strength and solidarity with Israel in the midst of the conflict. He also pointed out current matters he believes would have been handled differently had he remained in leadership.
“We would have gotten more of the intel,” McCarthy said, referencing the conflict. Under his watch, the former speaker asserted, the House on Monday would have put forth a resolution “to show the world we’re united, calling around to other world leaders to come to join.”
Furthermore, McCarthy said, under his leadership, the House would be looking at what ammunition and resources should be provided to Israel, evaluating sanctions against Iran and “going after any antisemitism that is happening not just on our college campuses, but directly in Congress itself as well.”
House Republicans plan to gather Monday night in a closed meeting to discuss where the conference goes next after McCarthy’s ouster as speaker. A candidate forum is scheduled Tuesday, followed by voting among House Republicans on Wednesday.
It’s unclear when the full House might vote on a new speaker.
Is the antisemitism he wants to combat people having a problem with Jews or people having a problem with the settler colonial state of Israel? Because him framing it as a college campus issue sounds an awful lot like the latter
Everything out of his mouth is a bad-faith accusation of Democrats. It’s what makes the donations flow and the cameras roll.
I don’t think he cares about policy at all, and I can’t understand why he would want the job. The only possibility I can fathom is that he wants to use it to make more money, because everyone hates the speaker. He’s going to be putting a target on his back, and the freedumb caucus will blame him for their stupidity. It’s not like they care who they rail against.
Maybe he thinks he can swing the whole party in the MAGA direction long term? Perhaps he’s not serious in wanting to win, and just using the opportunity to elevate his name for a Senate run later on? Whatever it is, it’s pretty silly.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Monday that he is willing to resume serving as House speaker if enough of the Republicans who voted in favor of his ouster last week are open to his reinstatement.
“Whatever the conference wants, I will do,” McCarthy said during an interview on Hugh Hewitt’s syndicated radio program when asked about a possible return to the job.
McCarthy made the comment as the House Republican conference prepared to meet for the first time since Tuesday, when eight Republicans joined all Democrats present in voting for McCarthy’s removal. At that point, McCarthy said he would not run for a leadership role again.
At a news conference after his removal, McCarthy stated plainly: “I will not run for speaker again. I’ll have the conference pick somebody else.”
Many of the Republicans were upset with McCarthy for making a government funding deal with Democrats, tipping the scale to remove him from office.
Two other Republicans, Majority Leader Steve Scalise (La.) and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (Ohio), have launched bids to succeed McCarthy. It’s unclear whether either will be able to secure the votes needed to become speaker.
Asked by Hewitt if he would put himself forward to break a deadlock, McCarthy said: “Look, the conference has to make that decision.”
Without a full-time speaker, the House has been limited in its ability to operate. The violence that has erupted between Hamas and Israel over the weekend has underscored the limitations, as some members press for an aid package to Israel.
In his interview with Hewitt, McCarthy repeatedly emphasized Congress’s need to project strength and solidarity with Israel in the midst of the conflict. He also pointed out current matters he believes would have been handled differently had he remained in leadership.
“We would have gotten more of the intel,” McCarthy said, referencing the conflict. Under his watch, the former speaker asserted, the House on Monday would have put forth a resolution “to show the world we’re united, calling around to other world leaders to come to join.”
Furthermore, McCarthy said, under his leadership, the House would be looking at what ammunition and resources should be provided to Israel, evaluating sanctions against Iran and “going after any antisemitism that is happening not just on our college campuses, but directly in Congress itself as well.”
House Republicans plan to gather Monday night in a closed meeting to discuss where the conference goes next after McCarthy’s ouster as speaker. A candidate forum is scheduled Tuesday, followed by voting among House Republicans on Wednesday.
It’s unclear when the full House might vote on a new speaker.
Bravo
Is the antisemitism he wants to combat people having a problem with Jews or people having a problem with the settler colonial state of Israel? Because him framing it as a college campus issue sounds an awful lot like the latter
Everything out of his mouth is a bad-faith accusation of Democrats. It’s what makes the donations flow and the cameras roll.
I don’t think he cares about policy at all, and I can’t understand why he would want the job. The only possibility I can fathom is that he wants to use it to make more money, because everyone hates the speaker. He’s going to be putting a target on his back, and the freedumb caucus will blame him for their stupidity. It’s not like they care who they rail against.
Maybe he thinks he can swing the whole party in the MAGA direction long term? Perhaps he’s not serious in wanting to win, and just using the opportunity to elevate his name for a Senate run later on? Whatever it is, it’s pretty silly.
Third in line. Knows trumps stochastic terrorism of the past.
Kevin’s dumb but he’s also probably thinking he can be president if all goes wrong for the Dems violently.
It’s the lack of a decent marble rye.