Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace said she was “living rent free” in former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy‘s head after he lashed out at the “crazy eight” GOP lawmakers who ousted him from his position earlier this year.
Mr McCarthy spoke to CNN’s Manu Raju about his feelings on his ousters.
When asked if the House Republicans would benefit from the removal of Congressman Matt Gaetz — who led the charge to oust Mr McCarthy after he struck a deal with Democrats to keep the government from shutting down — the former House Speaker said it would benefit “tremendously.”
“People have to earn the right to be here … he’ll admit to you personally he doesn’t have a conservative bent in his philosophy,” Mr McCarthy said.
When asked if he thought the House GOP should expel Mr Gaetz, Mr McCarthy said he did not believe the conference would “ever heal” unless there were “consequences.”
He also suggested that the eight Republicans who voted to remove him were more concerned with their public image than they were with governing.
“It just didn’t — it seemed out of nature. But they seem to had changed during their time,” he told CNN. “They care a lot about press, not about policy. So they seem to just want the press, the personality.”
He then changed track to address Ms Mace, who he criticised for “flip flopping” and said he does not believe she will win re-election, claiming she did not “earn the right” to get re-elected.
“If you’ve watched, just her philosophy and the flip-flopping, I don’t believe she wins reelection,” Mr McCarthy said. “I don’t think she’ll probably have earned the right to get reelected.”
Ms Mace responded on X/Twitter, advising Mr McCarthy to “move on” from the vote to remove him.
“I see I’m still living rent free in the former Speaker’s head. Suffice to say, I don’t really care what he has to say about me,” she said. “We’ve all moved on, and he should too.”
Despite saying she did not care what he had to say, she offered a more impassioned response to his criticisms in a statement to CNN.
“I raise $6 million every two years for my reelection campaign,” she told the network. “I know exactly how to raise money. I know exactly how to run — women can run, and women can win, Kevin McCarthy — surprise.”
