On Friday, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told Fox News that he is not considering resigning from Congress after his unprecedented ousting from the speakership on Tuesday.
McCarthy denied reports from Politico claiming that he was weighing an exit from the chamber, telling Fox’s Bret Baier flatly that he was not leaving.
CNN reported that McCarthy spoke to reporters on Friday, telling them he still had “work to do.”
“We are going to keep the majority. I am going to help the people I got here, and we are going to expand it further,” McCarthy said.
Politico had cited “two people familiar with the matter” in its reporting that McCarthy would stay in his seat at least until a new speaker was chosen next week “in order to help the party steady itself after a seismic shakeup.”
McCarthy narrowly lost a 216-210 vote on Tuesday that led to his removal as House Speaker after Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) introduced a motion to vacate the role and several other House Republicans voted with all Democrats to remove McCarthy.
Gaetz has threatened to initiate a vote against McCarthy multiple times over the course of his speakership but made good on those threats following a breakdown between Republican factions over efforts to prevent a government shutdown the previous week.
Patrick McHenry (R-NC) succeeded McCarthy as speaker pro tempore, a temporary replacement until the House votes on a permanent replacement next week.
Three primary names have emerged as viable replacements for McCarthy, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA), Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) and Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK).
A major issue separating the candidates is their past support for Ukraine. Jordan and Hern have consistently voted against Ukraine, while Scalise has voted for funding to the embattled country repeatedly.
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