McCaul: ‘It wasn’t my idea’ to oust Speaker

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas) on Sunday criticized the historic move last week to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and suggested he had not yet decided whom he would support as his replacement.

“It wasn’t my idea to oust the speaker. I thought it was dangerous,” McCaul said in an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union.” 

“I look at the world and all the threats that are out there. And what kind of message are we sending to our adversaries when we can’t govern? While we’re dysfunctional? When we don’t even have a speaker of the House,” McCaul continued. 

The top spot in the House is currently vacant after eight Republicans voted with all Democrats to remove McCarthy from his post. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) have emerged as the top candidates for the spot, but McCaul said he has not decided whom he would support. 

“We’re going to have a candidate forum on Tuesday, and my delegation will be making its decision after that, after that candidate forum,” McCaul said. 

“But we have to move quickly on this. We cannot paralyze democracy, especially when we have these hotspots all over the world,” he added, stressing that he is concerned about the message that the inaction sends. 

McCaul said he ultimately expects either Jordan or Scalise to ultimately be named speaker and get the necessary majority votes of those present in the House during the vote to win the gavel. 

“I believe so,” he said when asked whether he thinks one of the two will get the spot. “I think the concern is: Can they get to the floor, and then get the requisite votes to pass, so, you remember Kevin McCarthy took 15 ballots? I don’t think any of us want to go through that again. I think we’re ready to unify as a conference, unify around one speaker and not have this civil war, … disrupt the legislative process,” he said. 

Pressed again on which candidate he would support, McCaul said, “I think either one can provide the solidarity that we need to stop these motions to vacate from hitting the floor. And so they’re both strong candidates and we’ll be making our decision on Wednesday when we vote.”