PEACE OUT?

Kevin McCarthy Denies Report That He’s Looking for the Exits

Behind closed doors on Tuesday, the former speaker reportedly said he was “going to spend time with family.”

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) shot down a report on Friday that he may resign from the House before the end of his term. According to two unnamed sources who spoke to Politico, the former speaker said, “I’m going to spend time with family,” behind closed doors on Tuesday just after the vote to remove him from the speakership. He added that he would stay until next week’s election for his successor and made circumspect comments like, “I might have been given a bad break, but I’m still the luckiest man alive.” But McCarthy poured cold water on that report, telling KGET News on Friday that he doesn’t plan on stepping down and will run for re-election next year. Some Republicans have indicated that they want to nominate McCarthy for the position again, saying they don’t believe Reps. Jim Jordan (R-OH) or Steve Scalise (R-LA) can reach the required 218 votes. Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA) said in a Thursday statement that the only solution is “to restore Kevin McCarthy as Speaker under party rules that respect and enforce the right of the majority party.”