House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) holds his weekly news conference at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center in Washington on March 11, 2021. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) expressed confidence in Republicans’ regaining control of the House in next week’s midterm election, saying there is “no place” they can’t compete.
“We never take anything for granted, but I feel good because of the quality of the candidates we have running from Rhode Island to New Hampshire, to Connecticut to Oregon to Washington to Arizona to California,” McCarthy said. “There is no place we can’t compete, and that’s what is exciting.”
The House Minority Leader made the remarks in an interview with Fox News on Nov. 3 in Boston, where he campaigned for Karoline Leavitt, a 25-year-old Trump White House press writer. Leavitt, a first-time candidate, is facing off against Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas to represent her hometown in New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District.
Karoline Leavitt at Saddle Up Saloon, Kingston, New Hampshire on Nov. 3, 2022. Learner Liu/The Epoch Times
With less than a week left to the midterm election, Republicans are favored to take control of the House, needing a net gain of five seats.
McCarthy, who would become the next speaker if Republicans win the chamber, criticized Democrats’ policies around a number of issues, such as inflation, energy, and the border and fentanyl crisis. Democrats’ energy policies and uncontrolled spending, McCarthy said, are making energy prices skyrocket even higher.
“When you look at where Democrats are spending money, they are spending money where Biden won in 2020,” he told Fox News. “And the real problem here is why are we seeing these things? It is the policies and the actions that Democrats have taken—their overspending of $10 trillion, inflation, their attack on the energy industry which has brought gas prices up, and people are worried about home heating this winter.”
U.S. House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) speaks at the East Steps of the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Sept. 29, 2022. Alex Wong/Getty Images
McCarthy and House Republicans unveiled a plan in late September, dubbed their “Commitment to America,” detailing actions his team would take if they win control of the House. The agenda features policies to address access to late-term abortions over other policy options, reduce crime, support the energy industry, curb inflation, secure the U.S.–Mexico border, and minimize illegal immigration, among other objectives.
The plan is reminiscent of former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s 1994 “Contract with America,” which helped the GOP win a majority in the House for the first time in 40 years and catapulted Gingrich to the position of speaker.
Under the GOP plan, McCarthy said America will head in “a new direction.”
“Republicans have a plan that will put America in a new direction—one that will make the economy strong to tackle inflation and make it energy independent, so you can fill up your gas tank and still have money leftover,“ McCarthy told Fox News. ”More importantly, you'll know where your hard-earned tax dollars are being spent, and we will eliminate the waste.”
It’s widely predicted that Democrats will lose their hold on the House, which also follows historical trends in midterm elections. The Cook Political Report on Nov. 1 shifted its rating in ten House races in favor of Republicans, all of which were won by President Joe Biden during the 2020 election. Amy Walter, editor-in-chief of the Cook Political Report, on Oct. 27 forecasted that Democrats are likely to lose 20 seats or even more.
Jeff Louderback contributed to this report.
Dorothy Li
Author
Dorothy Li is a reporter for The Epoch Times. Contact Dorothy at [email protected].
