Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who was ousted as House Speaker just last week, said he would not rule out running for the position again.
Radio host Hugh Hewitt interviewed Mr. McCarthy on Monday, asking what he would do if the speaker’s race were deadlocked.
“Eight Republicans brought you down. I don’t know if they can change their mind, but I don’t think we’re going to get to a speaker other than Kevin McCarthy this week, and we can’t not have a speaker right now. Would you be willing to go back if those eight retreated?” Mr. Hewitt asked.
Mr. McCarthy said, “Whatever the conference wants, I will do. I think we need to be strong. I think we need to be united.”
However, he added, he thought it was unlikely that the eight Republicans who voted him out would change their minds.
“It was a personal thing,” he said, claiming they were unhappy that he didn’t double down on a government shutdown. “It wasn’t about where we were going.”
Israel
On Monday, Rep. John Duarte (R-Calif.) told Fox News that “there is no greater friend of Israel than Kevin McCarthy,” and called to reinstate him as House speaker.When Mr. McCarthy was voted out, it marked the first time in Congress’s 234 years of history, leaving questions of how the lower chamber would operate while the seat was open.
Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) became the Speaker pro tempore, as Mr. McCarthy was able to appoint an acting speaker before he was vacate. Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Steve Scalise (R-La.) are running for the seat, and a vote will take place Oct. 11. But it seems unlikely that the House will conduct much business before the vote takes place, potentially leaving the Israel issue untouched while the government shutdown deadline of Oct. 17 nears.
Mr. McCarthy also touted his record on Israel in his interview with Mr. Hewitt.
“I have spoken to a number of people in Israel, from the speaker and others that are personal friends. President [Isaac] Herzog just called me last week, prior to this,” he said. His first trip as speaker was to Israel to speak at the Knesset, Israel’s House of Representatives, at the anniversary of the creation of Israel. Separately, he told Fox News that his friends in Israel say the attack over the weekend was “their Pearl Harbor.”
“The first thing we need to do is show a clear support for Israel long term. Secondly ... with the number of hostages that were taken. We should build our own team from the individuals from the hostage situation to help them in this endeavor. Americans were taken as well. We have the right to do it,” he told Mr. Hewitt.
He outlined what he thought Congress should act in the coming days, taking a strong stance in support of Israel and denouncing the Hamas, as well as putting pressure on Iran.
He pointed out that anti-Semitism has grown, even in the halls of Congress.
“I remember when [Rashida] Talib wanted to have an anti-Semitism meeting, I canceled the room,” he said, referring to the congresswoman of Palestinian descent.
“I’m still a member [of Congress]. I’m going to continue to fight and act,” he said. “This is a time for Congress to speak as one voice.”
Mr. Duarte said on Fox News that “facts are much different today than they were Tuesday of last week” with the attack on Israel and called on his Democratic counterparts to allow Mr. McCarthy to be voted back in.
“Kevin McCarthy has been engaged in world affairs. We need Kevin McCarthy back in the speakership right now. We need to get that vote done this week,” he said.
“They’re going to run out of ordnance, and we’re not going to be able to authorize the funding to get them the weapons and the defense they need. We have one of our strongest allies in the world under attack, and we are dilly-dallying around with a leadership struggle in the House that should never have occurred.”
Mr. Jordan, who is running for speaker, said on Fox News that his first move if elected would be to help Israel.
“There will be some resolution on the floor to support the state of Israel,” he told Maria Bartiromo. “This is our great friend and great ally, the state of Israel,
