After being ousted from the House speakership last week, Republican Congressman Kevin McCarthy said he would not try to regain his leadership position but would stay in Congress representing California's 20th district.
"I will not run for speaker again. I'll have the conference pick somebody else," McCarthy said during a press conference.
I will not seek to run again for Speaker of the House. I may have lost a vote today, but I fought for what I believe in—and I believe in America. It has been an honor to serve. https://t.co/4EMpOuwtzy
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) October 3, 2023
Since then, things have changed and McCarthy is reportedly considering reentering the latest race for the gavel. Whether he can claw back the votes needed from the eight Republicans who ousted him is to be seen.
McCarthy declines to choose between SCALISE and JORDAN for speaker when I asked who he prefers to see. He says that’s a decision for the GOP conference regarding who can unify it.
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) October 9, 2023
McCarthy assails “a few individuals” in the House GOP “who love a camera more than they love the American public” when discussing how the House came to be speaker-less.
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) October 9, 2023
Meanwhile, President Trump will no longer travel to Washington D.C. Tuesday as debate over who should be the next Speaker continues. Majority Leader Steve Scalise and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan officially announced their candidacies last week.
