Matt Gaetz Discusses 'Mini-Rebellion' Against Kevin McCarthy, Why He Won't Run for Speaker
Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz went on Newsmax’s “Wake Up America” and gave a blunt answer regarding why he will not run for the speakership.
“Well, mostly because I would not have the requisite support,” Gaetz stated.
“I don’t have anywhere near the votes it would take to be speaker of the House.”
.@SpeakerMcCarthy purposefully backed us up against the wall on spending bills and then sent everyone home at 3pm on a Thursday.
This is not the French work week.
We’re going to have to address his leadership after we get through this government funding crisis. pic.twitter.com/cxHLd4BePc
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) September 22, 2023
Host Rob Finnerty noted the “mini-rebellion” that occurred before and during now-Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s tenure with the title.
“We got to try something different, because we’ve had eight months of failure theater,” Gaetz added regarding his disapproval of McCarthy.
Gaetz has been very vocal about his dislike of McCarthy.
Earlier in September, he called out the speaker regarding his lack of holding votes for term limits, not releasing full surveillance video of the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol incursion and not holding President Joe Biden’s family accountable for their alleged criminal activity.
“I rise today to serve notice — Mr. Speaker, you are out of compliance with the agreement that allowed you to assume this role,” Gaetz stated at the time.
While Gaetz is not seeking the speaker role, he was asked if he was eying the possibility of the Florida governorship and later the presidency.
“This is ridiculous, OK. We have a job to do right now,” Gaetz stated.
“Every politician’s always worried about the next thing to run for. I have no plans to run for governor, I’m not making any plans to run for governor,” he noted.
“I have plans to try to get the House of Representatives, where I currently work, to do what it has not done since 1997, and that is actually abide by the appropriations process, pass single-subject spending bills, get votes on term limits and balanced budgets.
“I don’t know if we’re gonna have a country in 2026 if we don’t do these things right now,” he added, “because the world is de-dollarizing [and] we’re facing [a] $2 trillion annual deficit.”
Regarding speculation on his plans to run for other offices, Gaetz said, “That is a distraction; that is noise. I’m here, focused on the work I’ve gotta do in Congress.”
As the potential government shutdown on Sept. 30 looms, Gaetz continued to call out McCarthy when he posted the Newsmax clip to X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter.
“[McCarthy] purposefully backed us up against the wall on spending bills and then sent everyone home at 3 pm on a Thursday,” he posted.
“This is not the French work week.
“We’re going to have to address his leadership after we get through this government funding crisis,” he concluded.
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