Kevin McCarthy, Former House Speaker, Undecided on Re-running for Congressional Seat in 2024
Former US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, Republican of California, has yet to decide whether he will rerun for his congressional seat in 2024. In a recent interview with CNN, McCarthy stated, “I got the holidays. I will talk to my family … and then I will make a decision,” following his ousting as speaker by a coalition of eight fellow Republicans in October.
Since losing his position as speaker, McCarthy has noted that it has been more difficult for him to execute his policy agenda as a “rank-and-file” member of Congress. “It’s a little harder. You want to make other decisions,” McCarthy said in the interview.
His comments come on the heels of Republicans losing key races in swing states on Tuesday, causing concern about Republican strength heading into the 2024 election. McCarthy acknowledged the losses, saying, “We had a bad night, but you learn from it.”
McCarthy was removed as speaker in October after failing to rally the necessary support among other GOP members on a spending bill. He then turned to Democrats to garner the votes and avoid a government shutdown, leading to his ousting. However, he has left the door open for a potential return to the position, stating that if the Republican conference wants him back as speaker, he would consider it.
After McCarthy’s removal, the House struggled to find his replacement, delaying policy action including funding approval to support Israel at the start of its war against Hamas. The Republican-majority House eventually settled on Louisiana representative Mike Johnson as McCarthy’s replacement in late October. McCarthy’s uncertain decision on whether to rerun for his congressional seat adds an additional layer of intrigue to the Republican party’s future heading into the 2024 election.