Even Republicans Don’t Like Kevin McCarthy
September 12, 2022
It’s been a tough couple weeks for Kevin McCarthy as Republicans across the country are rallying AGAINST him and Republicans keep trashing him publicly.
Bob Burns, a Republican congressional candidate in New Hampshire, said of McCarthy: “He’s dead to me at this point. I’m not going to support him.”
POLITICO: “‘He’s dead to me at this point. I’m not going to support him,’ Burns added, ‘And quite frankly if it boils down to it, I may run against him.’”
New Hampshire Republican congressional candidate Tim Baxter called McCarthy a “swamp rat.”
POLITICO: “The specter of McCarthy’s speakership dominated the closing remarks of a WMUR debate last week, when a third candidate noted ‘swamp rat Kevin McCarthy is spending $2 million’ to elect Mowers and accused Leavitt of obfuscating her position on a potential vote for speaker.”
Washington Republican congressional candidate Joe Kent said in July, “I’ve gone out from the beginning and said that Kevin McCarthy can’t be our speaker.”
POLITICO: “Herrera Beutler lost to Joe Kent, an Army veteran who is perhaps the most outspoken candidate yet to publicly oppose McCarthy. ‘I’ve gone out from the beginning and said that Kevin McCarthy can’t be our speaker,’ Kent said in a July interview.’”
Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger said McCarthy “will be the worst speaker and he won’t last because he’s going to be led around by insurrectionists.”
The Wall Street Journal: “Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R., Ill.), who is retiring, said Mr. McCarthy has appeased the far-right flank at the risk of losing centrist Republicans. He used to call Mr. McCarthy a friend, but they broke decisively over the GOP leader’s approach to the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. ‘He would come to us, ‘Oh I’ve got to do this so I can control the crazies,’ ’ Mr. Kinzinger said. ‘He’ll be the worst speaker and he won’t last because he’s going to be led around by insurrectionists.’”
Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz said “Kevin is not bridled by too many policy views […] His organizing principle is ambition.’”
The Wall Street Journal: “Rep. Matt Gaetz (R., Fla.), a Trump ally who has improbably suggested the former president should be speaker, assessed Mr. McCarthy more sharply. ‘Kevin is not bridled by too many policy views,’ he said. ‘His organizing principle is ambition.’”
Texas Congressman Chip Roy said Kevin McCarthy’s task forces “aren’t laying out a vision” that he wants to see.
The Wall Street Journal: “Texas GOP Rep. Chip Roy, a member of the conservative Freedom Caucus, said the task forces that Mr. McCarthy has assembled ‘aren’t laying out a vision’ and he wants to see his party willing to shut down the government to remove funds for policies that Republicans don’t support.”