Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz created a stir on social Tuesday after offering his endorsement to ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy for Chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC). With current RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel rumored to step down by the end of the month, Gaetz suggested McCarthy as a possible replacement, citing his skills as a “high-revenue fundraiser.” The endorsement comes four months after Gaetz led a successful effort to remove McCarthy from the U.S. House Speakership. It was not immediately apparent to supporters of the Republican firebrand whether the endorsement was a joke.
“I fully endorse Kevin McCarthy for RNC Chair,” Gaetz wrote on his personal X account Tuesday.
“Kevin is well organized and a very high-revenue fundraiser. He will also be well-liked by the RNC Committee. The RNC Chair doesn’t make any policy decisions, set any agenda, or negotiate against Democrats, ever. Kevin would be terrific,”
The post follows news reports that RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel is moving to exit her role following the South Carolina GOP primary. On Monday, McDaniel met with former President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, according to Fox News. Trump wrote on his Truth Social page shortly after,
“Ronna is now Head of the RNC, and I’ll be making a decision the day after the South Carolina Primary as to my recommendations for RNC Growth,”
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I fully endorse Kevin McCarthy for RNC Chair. Kevin is well organized and a very high-revenue fundraiser. He will also be well-liked by the RNC Committee.
The RNC Chair doesn’t make any policy decisions, set any agenda, or negotiate against Democrats, ever.
Kevin would be… https://t.co/7EquxhIBIc
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) February 7, 2024
Nearly 7,000 comments were left on Gaetz’s post, with most confused about whether the endorsement was serious. “Is there a greater troll in Congress than Matt?” Sebastian Gorka wrote in response.
Just one hour after his endorsement, however, Gaetz slammed McCarthy from his official X account, saying the failed impeachment of Alejandro Mayorkas was partly due to his resignation and “abject selfishness.”
“I also wonder, wouldn’t it have been nice still to have Kevin McCarthy in the House of Representatives,” Gaetz told Newsmax host Eric Bolling in a Tuesday interview. “Never thought you’d hear me say that.”
“Kevin McCarthy, after being dislodged as speaker, took his marbles and went home. He would have been a reliable vote for impeachment but if he wasn’t speaker, he wasn’t willing to stick around. And I think that the arrant expulsion of [Rep. George] Santos, and the abject selfishness of Kevin McCarthy, contributed to this result as much as the three Republican members who voted no.”
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The House voting down the resolution to impeach Secretary Mayorkas is a middle finger to the American people.
I’m doing what I can with the people I have here in Washington right now. The errant expulsion of George Santos and the abject selfishness of Kevin McCarthy contributed… pic.twitter.com/QIj2lIAZs2
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) February 7, 2024
Last week, Politico reported that McCarthy had committed to a “revenge campaign” against the eight Republican members who voted to oust him. The outlet cited a top ally of McCarthy, Brian Walsh, who is reportedly recruiting primary challengers with the backing of the former Speaker’s donor network.
“These traitors chose to side with Nancy Pelosi, AOC, and over 200 Democrats to undermine the institution, their fellow Republicans, and a duly elected Speaker,” Walsh said in a statement published by Politico. “There must be consequences for that decision.”
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