Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy told DailyMail.com he still has not decided whether he will seek re-election in 2024 after being ousted by his colleagues two months ago.
In his first exclusive print interview since losing his leadership role, McCarthy said he is still figuring out “what is the best way to serve,” with just over a week until the Dec. 8 deadline to file as a candidate. register in California’s 20th Congressional District.
“That’s coming,” he told DailyMail.com. ‘I have to make a decision. I have my papers and I’m looking at it.’
The top Republican left his options open, saying he doesn’t need a “title” to continue representing the American public and moving the country forward.
He also had some advice for his successor, Chairman Mike Johnson, on how to handle the GOP conference: “Bring in a psychiatrist for a lot of these members.”
During McCarthy’s extended sit-down, he discussed multiple topics, including his relationship with Donald Trump and his thoughts on Matt Gaetz — who led the unprecedented effort to vote him out as speaker in September.
Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy told DailyMail.com he still has not decided whether he will seek re-election in 2024 after being ousted by his colleagues two months ago.
He faced multiple questions about his political future after eight conservative colleagues joined Democrats to take away the gavel in farcical scenes in the House of Representatives.
“One thing about me is that I never give up,” he told DailyMail.com.
‘The great thing about American audiences is that you don’t have to have a title to do it. Everyone must be involved and be able to help this country move forward. I’m going to look for the best place to do that.’
McCarthy declined to say whether he would serve the remainder of his term if he does not run for re-election.
“You’re putting out hypotheses,” he replied to a question from DailyMail.com. “I have to decide what I’m going to do before I make a decision (about that).”
But McCarthy has made no moves to join a committee since leaving the speaker’s office.
Days after his ouster two months ago, the former speaker had a different tune.
“I’m not resigning, I have a lot more work to do,” he told reporters at the Capitol on October 6.
“Yes,” he would stand for re-election, he said at the time.
He does not think Johnson will suffer the same fate, despite the precarious position a single member’s motion to leave puts him in.
“Things will probably get better for him,” McCarthy told DailyMail.com. “They can’t do it again. You saw the chaos of what happened. I don’t think the Republican Party will tolerate this.”
He predicted that Republicans in the House of Representatives would be able to maintain their majority – despite the chaos. “The answer is simple: yes, we can grow the majority.”
“The next cycle is even better for Republicans in the House of Representatives than the last two cycles,” the former chairman said, citing redistricting in North Carolina and a slew of Democratic retirements.
But questions remain about whether Johnson will be able to keep up with his predecessor’s prolific fundraising. McCarthy raised $78 million for the 2024 cycle during his time as speaker.
“It’s a disadvantage because I’ve been around for a while so I’ve raised a lot of money,” McCarthy said of Johnson’s fundraising. ‘It will come. Mike Johnson is going to do the job, but we left him in a better place than I was in before.”
During the extensive interview, the former speaker allowed himself a melancholy moment, looking back on the crazy end to his nine months with the gavel.
In his first exclusive print interview since losing his leadership role, McCarthy said he is still figuring out “what is the best way to serve,” with just over a week until the Dec. 8 deadline to register as candidate for California’s 20th Congress. Neighbourhood
Top Republican left his options open, saying he doesn’t need a ‘title’ to continue representing the American public and moving the country ‘forward’
“Everywhere I go, people come up to me and say, ‘What happened to you isn’t right,’” he said. “You know, you can’t look back. You have to look ahead.’
‘I am very proud of what we have been able to achieve in such a short time.’
Matt Gaetz said he launched the effort to force McCarthy’s resignation because he introduced a continuing resolution, CR, a bill that kept the government open by delaying the funding deadline in the House of Representatives by six weeks.
The so-called “clean” CR included no cuts, leaving spending at the 2023 level that hardliners insisted on cutting.
McCarthy’s advice to Mike Johnson: ‘Bring in a psychiatrist’ to deal with the Republicans
McCarthy put the CR on the floor of the House of Representatives hours before the original funding deadline, when it became clear there was no alternative to avoid a shutdown.
He said he “didn’t know” at the time whether the CR would cost him his job, but said that didn’t factor into his decision-making. “I wasn’t worried about whether I was going to get thrown out or not,” he said. “I didn’t know if I would.”
McCarthy said it only became clear to him that he would be the first speaker to be removed from office just before the historic vote.
“I called my leadership team and said, ‘We’re not going to win this one.’ And I told them, ‘I’m not going to run for Speaker again.'”