In a recent interview with FOX News, Representative Kevin McCarthy of California expressed his disappointment with the eight House Republicans who voted with Democrats in the unprecedented removal of him as Speaker earlier this month.
He accused them of "disrupt[ing] the nation" and pledged his support to Representative Jim Jordan, a Republican from Ohio, who is vying to be his successor.
"The real challenge here is eight Republicans did something. No one would have thought that they would work with every single Democrat to disrupt this nation, to remove me as speaker," McCarthy stated.
He further criticized their actions, saying, "It has taught people now that why don't you just go work with Democrats and disrupt government? This will go down in history as one of the biggest mistakes these eight have made in the process."
McCarthy's removal as Speaker came after a verbal assault from some hardline Republicans, most notably Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida, which led to a majority vote in favor of the motion to vacate. This historic event has left the House without a Speaker for 12 days, amidst ongoing turmoil in the Middle East.
In the wake of this leadership vacuum, House Republicans have nominated Jordan for the Speaker's role. However, McCarthy revealed that Jordan is still short of the votes needed to secure the position. "I talked to Jim last night. He's talking to every single member, assessing what their challenges are. But we've got to be able to work together," McCarthy said.
Despite the challenges, McCarthy has thrown his support behind Jordan, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee. This endorsement came a day after Representative Steve Scalise, a Republican from Louisiana, withdrew his bid for the Speaker's role. Meanwhile, Representative Austin Scott, a Republican from Georgia, has announced his candidacy for the position, but McCarthy remains confident that Jordan will eventually secure enough votes to assume the role.
When asked about potential alternatives to Jordan, McCarthy dismissed the idea that either Mike Johnson or Kevin Hern could win. "I don't think either of them could win. It would come very short. I think Jim Jordan can get the votes," he responded.
In the midst of this leadership crisis, calls for McCarthy's reinstatement have been growing, particularly in light of the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Last week, GOP Representative John Duarte of California called for McCarthy to be reinstated to urgently provide aid to Israel, which is currently under attack from Hamas terrorists.
"We have one of our strongest allies in the world under attack, and we are dilly-dallying around with a leadership struggle in the House that should never have occurred," Duarte stated. He praised McCarthy's leadership, saying, "Kevin McCarthy should never have been ousted. He has led through some of the most bipartisan constructive legislation that's happened in the House for years, and he's an excellent speaker."
Despite the upheaval, McCarthy remains committed to serving his country, regardless of his title. "They created as much chaos [as the eight Republicans]. Every single Democrat chose to create this chaos. I don't believe in creating a more chaos. I want to put the country first. I'm going to help lead regardless of whatever title I have. I have a responsibility" he declared.
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