Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy denied a rumor circulating in national press that he intended to resign from Congress before the end of his term.
According to two anonymous sources speaking to Politico, Kevin McCarthy, the former speaker of the House, was contemplating resigning from Congress before the end of his term.
Driving the news: McCarthy expressed his intention to remain in his position until the upcoming speakership election in order to aid the party in stabilizing after the recent leadership change.
- During a closed-door meeting with his conference, McCarthy indicated his desire to spend more time with his family, although his statements were largely overshadowed by the commotion in the room.
- Despite the uncertainty surrounding McCarthy’s acceptance, some Republicans are promoting him as a candidate for speaker, arguing that no other individual can secure the necessary 218 Republican votes.
What they’re saying: Representative Tom McClintock suggested that the “only workable outcome” would be to reinstate McCarthy as speaker, emphasizing that it depends on persuading dissenting members to reconsider and repair the damage.
- McCarthy is expected to remain active in Republican affairs, regardless of whether he continues in the House or not.
- McCarthy assured his colleagues that he would still assist them and mentioned his recent fundraising endeavors during the closed-door conference meeting where he made it clear he would not seek the speakership again.
- In a statement to Bakersfield-based KGET, McCarthy denied the report.
NEW: @SpeakerMcCarthy (R-Bakersfield) personally confirmed with @KGETnews that he has no intentions of resigning from his US House seat representing CA’s 20th Congressional District. To the contrary, McCarthy said he intends to run for reelection.— Eytan Wallace (@EytanWallace) October 6, 2023
