After the midterm elections disappointed Republicans expecting for a Red Wave that would result in big wins in Congress, many Republicans have now begun clamoring for new leadership, including Florida Representative Matt Gaetz, who has now stated that he will not vote for Kevin McCarthy for House leadership.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) says he is confident House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) will not become speaker, signaling a tumultuous process given the GOP’s extremely thin expected margin of victory in the lower chamber.
Matt Gaetz says Kevin McCarthy will not be Speaker and he will vote against him. pic.twitter.com/Pvraq1tazv
— Ron Filipkowski 🇺🇦 (@RonFilipkowski) November 14, 2022
“I’m not voting for Kevin McCarthy. I’m not voting for him tomorrow. I’m not voting for him on the floor. And I am certain that there is a critical mass of people who hold my precise view. And so the sooner we can sort of dispense with the notion that Kevin is going to be speaker, then we can get to the important work,” Gaetz proclaimed during his appearance.
Republicans plan to vote on House leadership on Tuesday, followed by the Senate GOP on Wednesday.
McCarthy is running for Speaker of the House. If he is successful, he will need to win a floor vote with at least 218 votes before the next Congress convenes early next year.
According to NBC News, Republicans are expected to gain 219 House seats, with several contests still undecided almost a week after the midterm elections.
Gaetz had called several of his fellow Republicans to advocate against McCarthy. He supported Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) for the post during an interview on the Charlie Kirk Show.
In spite of Gaetz’s forceful denunciation and unofficial nomination of Jim Jordan, McCarthy has yet to face a formal challenger.
[READ MORE: New Poll Shows DeSantis Beating Trump In Hypothetical 2024 GOP Primary Matchup]
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Gaetz shouldn’t even be in Congress.