Kevin McCarthy said House Republicans will never be able to “heal” without “consequences” for the “crazy eight” GOP members who voted with Democrats to boot him from the speakership.
McCarthy, in excerpts of an interview with CNN, said Republicans would benefit “tremendously” by no longer having Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) as a member of their ranks, even as he said that decision is “up to the conference.” He also said Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), another member who voted to oust him, didn’t deserve to be reelected.
“If you’ve watched her — just her philosophy, and the flip-flopping — I don’t believe she wins reelection,” he said, adding members like Mace and Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) — who also voted to toss him — “care about press, not about policy.”
Gaetz shot back on his podcast: “Mr. former Speaker, thoughts and prayers as you go through your stages of grief here,” suggesting there remains no love lost between the two.
