Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said he is unsure whether he wants to remain a member of the House after losing the speakership last month.
The lawmaker told CNN’s Manu Raju in a recent interview that he will take some time to think about his options heading into 2024, when McCarthy and other members of the House are up for re-election.
“I got the holidays. I’ll talk to my family about the ideas of what [to do] going forward and then I’ll make a decision,” McCarthy said in the conversation that aired on Sunday.
McCarthy on staying in the House. “There are so many ways you can do that to make sure you’re getting the job done. And I’m going to look at all options.” pic.twitter.com/8jdvHZqAeZ
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) November 12, 2023
McCarthy, who represents the 20th Congressional District in California, was first elected to Congress in 2006 and has worked his way up the GOP ranks.
He won the speaker’s gavel in the 15th round of voting in January, but only after making concessions, such as restoring the ability of a single member to trigger the process that would lead to such a no-confidence vote.
Citing frustrations with McCarthy’s leadership, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) filed a “motion to vacate the chair” in early October after the House passed a short-term spending bill to avert a government shutdown.
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Gaetz and seven other Republicans joined with Democrats in a 216-210 vote that ousted McCarthy.
The GOP-led House elected Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) as its 56th speaker in late October, ending a weeks-long stalemate.
Upon losing the speakership, McCarthy assured reporters that “yes” he would seek re-election and said he would not resign, asserting that he had “a lot more work to do.” But the California Republican stressed to Raju that he is now reassessing his future plans.
After expressing a desire to make certain that Johnson had the “resources” he needs as the new speaker, McCarthy added, “I want to make sure that I continue to do the job for my district. But I also want to make sure that you could — I always believe, and you would hear me all the time, you never give up in the process, right? Well, there’s so many ways you can do that to make sure you’re getting the job done. And I’m going to look at all options.”
Asked which way he is leaning, McCarthy said, “I don’t know.”
David Giglio, a businessman who is running to take McCarthy’s seat as an “America First” candidate aligned with former President Donald Trump, called on the incumbent to step down.
“We cannot drain the Washington swamp by maintaining the status quo, and that’s why Kevin McCarthy must resign immediately,” Giglio said in a statement.