According to Mediaite, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has not sought help from former President Donald Trump to secure his hold on power as a small group of GOP rebels threatened his speakership in recent weeks and days. Despite Trump’s significant role in assisting McCarthy in securing the speaker’s gavel earlier in the year, McCarthy has refrained from reaching out to Trump. According to sources, this reluctance stems from McCarthy’s desire to avoid being pressured into endorsing Trump’s campaign for the Republican presidential nomination.
Sam Geduldig, a Republican lobbyist with connections to McCarthy, explained that McCarthy refrained from seeking Trump’s help because it would imply endorsing Trump for the presidency, which would present challenges within the Republican Party. McCarthy is known for his deal-making skills but is hesitant to make a deal that would appear as if he were prioritizing his own interests over those of his colleagues.
During Trump’s presidency, McCarthy was viewed as a close ally on Capitol Hill, but their relationship faced strains after McCarthy briefly condemned Trump following the events of January 6. However, McCarthy later mended the relationship by visiting Mar-a-Lago for a photo opportunity with Trump.
“If he [McCarthy] was to ask Trump for help to intervene on his behalf that would mean he’d have to endorse Trump for the presidency and that opens up a whole host of challenges for his colleagues.”
“McCarthy makes deals when he thinks he needs to but renting out the speaker’s office and cutting a deal to save his own skin at the expense of his members is against his code,” he added.”
As of now, McCarthy has not made an endorsement in the 2024 GOP presidential primary. He has vacillated between appearing to support Trump’s potential candidacy and hoping that another candidate might emerge as the party’s nominee.
In a June interview with CNBC’s Joe Kernen, McCarthy suggested that Trump could win a general election against President Joe Biden but also questioned whether Trump was the strongest candidate to do so. By September, McCarthy seemed more inclined to dismiss Trump’s primary challenger, Ron DeSantis, asserting that Trump was in a stronger position than he was in 2016 or 2020 and would likely secure the nomination.
McCarthy’s political maneuvers and his evolving stance on Trump’s role in the Republican Party reflect the complex dynamics at play within the GOP as it navigates its future leadership and presidential prospects.
