House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is facing a growing chorus of calls for his ouster, but he is defiant. In a recent interview, McCarthy said that he is confident that he will survive the challenge and remain Speaker.
During a CBS News interview on Sunday, “Face the Nation” anchor Margaret Brennan asked McCarthy to respond to Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) announcing that he intends to file a “motion to vacate” against McCarthy this coming week.
“That’s nothing new. He’s tried to do that from the moment I ran for [the] office,” McCarthy said. “Yes, I’ll survive,” he added when pressed to respond to the latest threat.
Gaetz announced that McCarthy would face a motion to vacate this coming week after the House voted 335-91 to pass a short-term spending bill with the support of Democrats.
The Florida GOP leader accused McCarthy of breaching an “agreement” with conservatives that allowed McCarthy to become speaker after 15 rounds of voting in January and dealing with Democrats to “really blow past spending guardrails we’d set up.”
McCarthy’s critics argue that he has lost the confidence of his caucus and that he is no longer fit to lead. They point to his close ties to former President Donald Trump, his handling of the January 6th attack on the Capitol, and his recent comments about transgender athletes.
Despite the criticism, McCarthy has the support of a number of key Republicans, including Minority Whip Steve Scalise and House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik. McCarthy has also been able to raise a significant amount of money for his re-election campaign.
McCarthy said “this is personal” for Gaetz and claimed Gaetz was “more interested” in securing TV interviews than securing the U.S.-Mexico border and preventing a government shutdown.
“Bring it on,” McCarthy said of a potential no-confidence vote. “Let’s get over with it, and let’s start governing.”
"I'll survive," House @SpeakerMcCarthy says after Rep. Matt Gaetz said Sunday that he will introduce a motion to vacate McCarthy from his seat this week.
"Bring it on. Let's get over with it." pic.twitter.com/SnCVIHTN4f
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) October 1, 2023
