Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) endorsed Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH). In an interview with Fox News, McCarthy emphasized the paramount importance of unity over philosophical differences, particularly at a time when the GOP caucus is divided by internal conflicts.
Rep. McCarthy, who was abruptly removed from his leadership role due to a conservative House member uprising, has now recognized the urgency of the GOP selecting its next leader. This shift in perspective comes in the aftermath of Majority Leader Steve Scalise’s (R-LA) ill-fated campaign, with Scalise ultimately withdrawing from the Speaker race after realizing he lacked the necessary support from 217 House members to survive a full House vote.
McCarthy told Fox News anchor Brian Kilmeade, “My focus is to get Jim Jordan elected Speaker, get this Congress back moving again. It’s one thing to get elected, it’s another thing to govern,” expressing his frustration over the GOP’s halted agenda without a speaker.
Acknowledging the formidable challenge, he drew a parallel to his own arduous journey, saying, “Look, I realize how difficult it is. It took me 15 rounds… We’ve gotta find a way to get back instead of allowing eight people for personal purposes to join Democrats to disrupt America.” This statement was a thinly veiled criticism of a specific conservative faction, led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who initiated the motion to vacate the Speaker’s position.
Watch:
It’s one thing to get elected. It’s another thing to govern.
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) October 16, 2023
It’s time to get the House out of this tailspin, come together, and get America back on the right track.@Jim_Jordan can do it. pic.twitter.com/gTk23QB9NM
McCarthy has now aligned with President Trump and unexpected allies like House Armed Services Chair Mike Rogers (R-AL) in endorsing Jim Jordan as the House nears an imminent Speaker vote, possibly as early as Tuesday.
Elevating Rep. Jordan to the position of House Speaker would ensure the continuation of the GOP’s impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden, an effort Jordan has led as the Chair of the Judiciary Committee for several months. In the past, he led the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus and championed various causes highly valued by grassroots conservatives, including cutting funding for the Ukraine war, parents’ rights legislation, and bolstering border security.
