Gaetz says Jordan or Scalise would be ‘monumental upgrade’ over McCarthy

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) said he thinks Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) or Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) would be a “monumental upgrade” over former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Wednesday

“I know this — if it’s Speaker Jim Jordan or Speaker Steve Scalise, there will be very few conservatives in the country who don’t see that as a monumental upgrade over Speaker McCarthy,” Gaetz said during an appearance on Newsmax.

Gaetz led the effort to oust McCarthy from his office and was one of the eight Republicans who joined Democrats in a 216-210 vote to vacate the speakership Tuesday. McCarthy announced later in the day he would not run for Speaker again and called out Gaetz in a news conference after he was kicked out. 

“You all know Matt Gaetz,” McCarthy said. “You know it was personal. It had nothing to do about spending, it had nothing to do about everything he accused somebody of he was doing. It all was about getting attention from you.”

McCarthy also took a swing at the eight Republicans who voted to oust him.

“They don’t get to say they’re conservative because they’re angry and they’re chaotic,” McCarthy said. “That’s not the party I belong to.”

Both Scalise and Jordan have thrown their hats into the ring for the Speakership in the wake of McCarthy’s exit. 

“I nominated Jim Jordan back in January,” Gaetz said. “Obviously, he’s someone I could vote for. Steve Scalise is also a great guy. I think the world of him. He’s someone I could vote for. So, I think that we’ll see a number of talented people come forward.”