Rep. Matt Gaetz is raising the intensity of his attacks on Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the Republican leader in the House, following the decidedly average results of Tuesday’s elections.
As it becomes more certain that Republicans will recapture the House and be able to oust Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the party seems headed for a fierce leadership contest.
Gaetz, the popular Republican identified with the Make America Great Again movement and one of the leading figures behind this challenge, expressed support for the Freedom Caucus’s push to delay leadership elections and took McCarthy task on Twitter for the powerful Republican’s actions following January 6.
The Florida politician noted that McCarthy first defended Rep. Liz Cheney during a Republican leadership conference before eventually turning against her, and first told “GOP Leadership Trump should resign after J6” before eventually defending the 45th President.
“Kevin is FLIGHT over FIGHT when the chips are down,” Gaetz wrote, “He is not a Speaker for these times.”
Kevin McCarthy:
Defended Liz Cheney when @jdanbishop first sought her ouster
Told GOP Leadership Trump should resign after J6
Kevin is FLIGHT over FIGHT when the chips are down
He is not a Speaker for these times
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) November 11, 2022
Gaetz’s attacks on McCarthy are already receiving support from key voices in the pro-MAGA sphere.
“Can we trust Kevin McCarthy to do what it takes to get the truth about January 6th?” Dr. Darren Beattie of Revolver News asked, “Can we trust him to help us expose and punish Merrick Garland?”
Florida Rep. Anthony Sabatini agreed with Gaetz, and wrote that “Republicans can do A LOT better than McCarthy!”
Can we trust Kevin McCarthy to do what it takes to get the truth about January 6th?
Can we trust him to help us expose and punish Merrick Garland? https://t.co/UTkV0DeDDH
— Darren J. Beattie 🌐 (@DarrenJBeattie) November 11, 2022
Gaetz opened his attacks on Republican leadership yesterday, branding McCarthy, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and GOP Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, as a trio, “McFailure.”
McCarthy
McConnell
McDanielMcFailure
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) November 10, 2022
This comes one day after it was reported that McCarthy currently lacks the votes to become the next Speaker of the House.
After learning McCarthy had already announced a transition team, assuming he would be the next Speaker of the House, Gaetz also discussed the possible leadership challenge on his “Firebrand” podcast, and brought on former Trump cabinet official Russ Vought for the topic.
“I think it’s incredibly disrespectful to his members, to be able to be that presumptuous when he knows he doesn’t have the votes,” said Vought.
“We know he doesn’t have the votes,” he added. “We don’t even know what the majority is.”
.@RussVought on McCarthy’s "Transition Team”:
“It is incredibly disrespectful to his members to be that presumptuous when he knows he doesn't have the votes to be Speaker of the House.
It should offend members of Congress who have a vote on this."https://t.co/9kxDo7KhFJ pic.twitter.com/5yEasrt7k4
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) November 11, 2022
While McCarthy may face a fierce fight in the House, it’s unclear who will be his challenger. Many seem willing to advance Rep. Jim Jordan as the most likely choice, though Gaetz has remained silent.
In the Senate, meanwhile, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell faces similar growing discontent.
Today Sen. Josh Hawley branded the 80-year-old Republican as the epitome of “Washington Republicanism” and blamed him for the party’s failure to make significant gains in the November elections.
Specifically, Hawley blamed McConnell for the growing uncertainty surrounding Blake Masters, who challenged Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly in Arizona. McConnell’s Senate PAC pulled millions from the effort to elect Masters ahead of the election, leaving him to fend for himself against the heavily funded Kelly campaign.
The votes are still being counted on the Friday after the election, and it’s still unclear who won, but Kelly is ahead by about 5% at press time.
LongTimeTexan
November 11, 2022 at 4:25 pm
McCarthy is weak, he should not be speaker. He will not stand up to DemocRATs, especially Nasty Pelosi who will bully and walk all over him.
Vanessa Brown
November 11, 2022 at 6:42 pm
[ 𝑱𝑶𝑰𝑵 𝑼𝑺 ] 𝑰 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒅 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 $260 𝑼𝑺𝑫 𝒕𝒐 $1200 𝑼𝑺𝑫 𝒑𝒆𝒓 𝑯𝑶𝑼𝑹 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆. 𝑰 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒋𝒐𝒃 3 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒔 𝒂𝒈𝒐 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒋𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝑰 𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 $21,000 𝑼𝑺𝑫 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒌𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒔. 𝑱𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒊𝒕 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆 …
𝑯𝒆𝒓𝒆’𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒅𝒐…………>>> 𝐰𝐰𝐰.𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐉𝐨𝐛𝟐𝟒𝟕.𝐜𝐨𝐦
Gary122548
November 11, 2022 at 9:05 pm
Does it really matter? After thus election, I figure Alex Jones is right … there isn’t a dimes worth of difference between the two parties! We are headed for a downfall no matter who is in power. Republicans just make it “look” like we have a choice. It’s all b.s..
Frank629
November 12, 2022 at 8:47 am
come on Gary thats not true .Get rid of corrupt McConnell and don’t insert a rino like McCarthy. Get rid of the Mc”s .
Dr. Reverend BigBoa
November 12, 2022 at 11:00 am
I’d say he’s quite right. The GOP did NOTHING to support Tudor Dixon, dooming us to another 4 years of Whitmer, one of the worst 2 or 3 governors in the nation. Yet they constantly pushed races where the candidates were safely ahead. On Newsmax, it was constantly New York, Pennsylvania and Arizona. Perhaps they could have sacrificed 5 minutes for Tudor. Perhaps they could have given a couple million to help her? No, tens of millions everywhere else. After all, why would they want to see a republican governor win in a blue state? They’re full of s#!t.
ARJAY
November 13, 2022 at 1:39 pm
Yes Frank, Gary is correct. Look what happened when Trump was elected President and we gave him a republican congress that ran on REPEALING OBLAMODON’TCARE! The republicans ran on repealing oblamodon’tcare and they won. After winning, they did NOTHING to repeal it. They talked BIG when they knew they had no chance with oblamo as pResident, but with Trump as President, he would have signed the bill to repeal, but N-O-T-H-I-N-G! So why vote for republicans!! Same as the democRATS, they are just less aggressive and secretive with their SAME agenda!!
Philip Fletcher
November 13, 2022 at 2:01 pm
I am so tired of all of you people who use the term RINO as if it were an actual word. It’s obvious that you people don’t know what the true conservative Republican Party actually is. It certainly isn’t Donald Trump. The sooner we can get him out of the Republican Party the sooner we can get back to our conservative roots. He has ruined the proud image of the Grand Old Party. Let’s just ask him one question when it’s time for the preferential primaries. “If he loses in the primaries, will he support and campaign for the party’s nominee?” Ask all of the candidates the same question. I assume you know what his answer would be.
alix
November 12, 2022 at 1:51 pm
Totally agree! We need a Jim Jordan, Mat Gaetz, Josh Hawley or Tom Cotton in that spot. Nothing less! or even J. Kennedy! ay, Marjorie Taylor greene, she’s a fire cracker.!
McCarthy has little [email protected]@ls.
alice
November 12, 2022 at 1:55 pm
We need a Jim Jordan, Matt Gaetz, Tom Cotton, Josh Haey, or Marjorie Taylor Greene for this to be a functioning Speaker.
Why did you censor my previous comment?
Just Me
November 11, 2022 at 4:29 pm
McFailure is the perfect name for these unless, Washington establishment rinos. We need real leadership not these do nothing backstabbers
Philip Seth Hammersley
November 11, 2022 at 5:05 pm
McCarthy is the House version of Lindsey Graham; one day he is MAGA and the next day he is RINO. He is NOT reliable. Will he collapse when Biden wants something?
ARJAY
November 13, 2022 at 1:43 pm
Will he collapse when Biden wants something?
Yes, YES he will!!
Bill
November 11, 2022 at 5:21 pm
I am not as confident in the Republicans taking control of the House as some of these “leaders” are. The longer the vote count goes on, the more opportunity the Democrats have to generate the votes needed to push their candidates over the line. Never underestimate the lengths Nancy Pelosi will go to keep her power!!!
Disregard
November 11, 2022 at 5:46 pm
I’m tired of California’s heading up the congress that determines my living!
ARJAY
November 13, 2022 at 1:48 pm
I agree!! We need someone from a CONSERVATIVE state, NOT anyone else from kalifornication in any leadership position in congress (kongress?)!
Paul4756
November 11, 2022 at 5:59 pm
Braindead Idiot Joe Biden loves to see Republicans attacking each other. They should unite to fight the horrific election fraud going on right under their noses.
Dr. Reverend BigBoa
November 12, 2022 at 11:31 am
And notice that the January 6 committee served its purpose.
All of the allegations of stuff going on and NO accusations of fraud by the GOP at all. NONE!
The democrats have had 2 more years to get ready and they did. They won numerous races they were supposed to lose AND THEY WON THEM BY DOUBLE DIGITS!!!
For pollsters to be this wrong about this many races?? I don’t buy it for a minute. But God forbid anyone suggest any fraud. We wouldn’t want to expose their game.
ssilv48
November 13, 2022 at 9:26 pm
All by the help of dominion, voting needs to go back to paper ballots only, nothing counted on the computer, since no one is held accountable, including the georiga crew for taking ballots out from under the table and re running ballots for biden and NO ONE IS IN JAIL, THAT’S WHY IT KEEPS HAPPENING.
Huey6367
November 11, 2022 at 6:20 pm
Jim Jordan for speaker
Leanna
November 13, 2022 at 11:36 am
Yes!!
earl
November 11, 2022 at 6:24 pm
you got that right the ballet boxes need republicans to watch every count the democrats just laugh and do there counting at night at 3 am
Ken Fox
November 11, 2022 at 6:28 pm
NOW !!! Are the Republicans going to show the world that they are no better than demoncraps???
Jim Ripley
November 11, 2022 at 6:37 pm
Mc Carthy, one more California “Kook”
Russ
November 11, 2022 at 6:51 pm
The grass roots level of the Republican Party will not accept McCarthy and his wimpy backstabbing Trump on J6. We need a fighter not a consoled.
the old marine
November 11, 2022 at 7:38 pm
We do not need anyone fro California look at the mess there I know the state officials has caused it but the ones in Washington could control some of it. We need someone who not only talks the fight but who will fight the fight no back stabbing.
Leanna
November 11, 2022 at 9:09 pm
Yes! Jim Jordan.
Adonis
November 11, 2022 at 10:35 pm
Wimp McCarthy has to go. Has no backbone and fight in him. McConnell in he Senate is much worse and must be replaced too.
Cecelia Henderson
November 11, 2022 at 11:09 pm
Masters in Arizona wasn’t the only person abandoned financially by the Republican leadership. McConnell tried to fund Murkowski, who no one wanted, and Majewski was also defunded. It appears that our money sent to PACs was used to support Congressional and Senate leadership more than the candidates we wanted to win.
Dr. Reverend BigBoa
November 12, 2022 at 11:37 am
The GOP didn’t just abandon senatorial races. Tudor Dixon was completely ignored in the Michigan governor race. I know at one point Whitmer had spent 25 million in ads compared to 900,000 for Tudor. But like I said elsewhere, why would the gop want to see a republican governor win in a blue state? They’re all full of it.
jeanna
November 12, 2022 at 12:27 am
McCarthy is a rhino, through and through…Don’t trust him….want him out… Want McConnel out too…. He is a worthless old fool. I agree both parties are totally corrupt. We need more like Trump that is NOT a corrupt politician….I like DeSantis, but he is a politician, and he would cave to the Dems…..
Dr. Reverend BigBoa
November 12, 2022 at 11:42 am
Trump is far from perfect. He has picked terrible advisors. Look how they have backstabbing him.
If the gop took the senate he wanted Scott to be leader, and he has been downgraded by the NRA for wanting red flag laws and more . Trump also may have helped the dems as he all but said he was going to run which probably helped dems get out to the polls. They WERE supposedly having low turnout.
And now he has a lot of baggage due to the dems. Granted a lot of it is bs, but he has it none the less.
DEPLORABLE
November 14, 2022 at 12:51 am
jeanna, it’s been out there since 2018 that the Bush’s have their hooks in DeSantis and are working behind the scenes with him. In other words, he is bought & paid for by the RINO Globalist Elites!
Wantnot
November 12, 2022 at 1:01 am
I believe McCarthy is in the vein of a Paul Ryan nothing but a Democrat in Republican’s clothing.
Mike L
November 12, 2022 at 7:32 am
Gaetz is right. McCarthy is a tried and true DC Establishment denizen, a smooth talker, much like Senator Schumer, who is always willing to “go along to get along”.
dennodogg
November 12, 2022 at 9:32 am
Here we go again…The marxist dem’s are batting 1000% with disputed elections, “lost ballots”, ” found” ballots, delayed counts, and everything else. This has to be stopped…in the courts if necessary. We’re still debating the fraud in 2020 and now we have a 2022 “redux” with the usual suspects. Swamp rats like mc connell and mc carthy are undermining the R’s as they are so deeply imbedded, that they don’t care if we win, only that they remain in power.
Dr. Reverend BigBoa
November 12, 2022 at 10:52 am
Didn’t McConnell withdraw funds from several republican candidates, including in Arizona? He prefers the dems retain control because his wife is from a communist family. Mccarthy can’t be trusted. And Trump still doesn’t know how to pick people. He wanted to make Scott Majority leader, who just got downgraded by the NRA.
Don McGowan
November 12, 2022 at 11:06 am
McCarthy is way too squishy to be House leader now. Our fight for this country is too important to depend on him to stand strong for us.
Dr. Reverend BigBoa
November 12, 2022 at 11:07 am
Also, Mccarthy has stated that he isn’t interested in impeaching ANYONE.
They need to impeach Biden, Garland AND Mayorkas!!!
Don’t tell me it will take away from working on other stuff. They should appoint a hit squad, who’s duty it is to harass and attack these clowns the same way THEY have done both to MAGA government AND citizens across the nation. AND they need to put together one committee who will be solely responsible for getting Hunter Biden and tying in Joe Biden and his brother. ENOUGH of this bs that we need to “put it behind us”, etc. THEY would never do that and the Republicans need to start doling out punishment. Of course they can now do little without the Senate which is why McConnell threw it. Still, Mccarthy has made his unacceptable position clear.
Thank you.
Max
November 12, 2022 at 12:49 pm
One yard line. Forth down. Ten seconds left and four points down. McConnell kicks a field goal. Post game comment, “We didn’t lose by much.”
Charles
November 13, 2022 at 12:19 am
must be a Bengals fan ?
Bob Russell
November 12, 2022 at 12:55 pm
Jordan would be a GREAT choice for speaker and Hawley for leader in the senatye!!!!! mcconnell and mccarthy are TRAITORS who bluster and bleat then bow before the devildemocommiecrats because they want a seat at the tyranny table!!!!! Both of them “go along to get along” because they want to be liked by the satanic left!!!!!
joe dementia said he could work with mccarthy, meaning mccarthy will give him anything he wants with onlyminor lip service to opposing tyranny!!!!!!!!!!
Rick
November 13, 2022 at 2:35 pm
Would you morons unite and develop a plan to reverse the Dems destructive policies. All this infighting is counterproductive.
Larry Hurd
November 13, 2022 at 2:59 pm
I THINK MATT GAETZ IS ABSOLUTLY ON POINT WITH THIS THE PRESENT MINORITY LEADER IS NOT GOING TO DO THE JOB THAT NEEDS TO DONE HE IS WEAK WE NEED FIGHTERS
Jim Ripley
November 13, 2022 at 3:00 pm
Dr. Oz needed more backing McConnel is a worn out wimp. has no hesitation in backing Rino’s. Now we have a circus freak , complete with tatoo’s, for Senator in Pennsylvania.
Tim
November 13, 2022 at 8:32 pm
I’d vote for MTG if I had a say in it. She is for this country and we already know that the democrats are scared of her. She won’t take no crap form them. If not her then someone with the patriotic fire that burns deep in every true American’s soul. We need new public servants not those that call themselves leaders. Our elected representatives are just that representatives (servants of the people) not leaders. Lost time I check this is still a republic, by the people for the people.
deplorable
November 14, 2022 at 1:02 am
“Lost time I check this is still a republic, by the people for the people.”
Last time I checked all that went to the waist side when in 2008, EVERYONE wanted to “make history” by voting for & allowing a Marxist, community activist, Muslim Boy King monkey with BIG EARS win the election & we became a ONE PARTY Communist government. Well, I guess that’s what happens when the DumbDumbDown want to make history!