Some Republicans have shown support for House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) aspirations to be speaker, while a handful of GOP members have publicly voiced opposition.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla) and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who are typically known to be allies, penned dueling op-eds for and against McCarthy.
Published in the Daily Caller, Gaetz criticized the idea of McCarthy as a speaker while Greene supported him for the position.
“He has no ideology,” Gaetz said of McCarthy, adding that he will eventually “cave to liberals,” compared to Greene throwing shade at Republicans who vote against him, calling them liars with empty promises.
Greene said those who oppose a McCarthy bid are a “power play” that will push Washington D.C. further into the ground.
“Every single Republican in Congress knows that Kevin does not believe anything. He has no ideology,” Gaetz said.
On the contrary, Greene wrote, “Lying to the base is a red line for me, and that’s what five of my closest colleagues are doing when they claim a consensus House speaker candidate will emerge as they oppose Kevin McCarthy.”
Meanwhile, Gaetz compared McCarthy to former House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis), calling him “Cavin McCarthy,” insinuating that he will cave to the Left.
“In sports, when the team loses games it is supposed to win, the coach gets fired,” Gaetz wrote, adding “in business when earnings vastly miss projections, the CEO is replaced. In Republican politics, a promotion shouldn’t be failure’s chaser.”
Greene bashed the five Republicans, which she branded the “Never Kevin Five,” for voting “no” for McCarthy, saying that she does not want everything to “blow up” just because a few people dislike him, adding that McCarthy is promoting the same agenda the GOP believes in.
The outspoken Republican then criticized Gaetz for his attacks on McCarthy.
“Let’s start with my dear friend, Matt Gaetz. Many of his attacks against Kevin McCarthy are comparisons to Paul Ryan. It’s quite ironic given Matt’s very first vote in Congress was for Paul Ryan as speaker. Even when we all knew Paul Ryan would never deliver the MAGA agenda,” Greene said.
Gaetz believes McCarthy is not strong enough to withstand the Democrat’s power, while Greene is confident he “isn’t going to promise things publicly if he isn’t willing or can’t deliver them.”