Kinzinger slams McCarthy over GOP agenda rollout: ‘An opportunity squandered’

Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) slammed House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) on Friday over his “Commitment to America” plan, saying that it was “an opportunity squandered” by his choice to “bow” to the “MAGA” wing of the GOP for his political gain. 

“Kevin McCarthy, who is supposed to be the leader of the Republican Party, is instead being led by a conspiracy theorist masquerading as a member of Congress,” Kinzinger said in a video posted on his Twitter page, referencing Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), with whom McCarthy introduced the plan. 

McCarthy unveiled the plan outlining Republicans’ top initiatives Thursday as they attempt to regain the majority in both houses of Congress in the upcoming November elections. The four pillars of the plan are an “economy that’s strong,” a “nation that’s safe,” a “future based on freedom” and a “government that’s accountable.” 

Kinzinger said McCarthy is “outright supporting” the conspiracy theories that pose a threat to American democracy. 

“It’s cowardly and disgusting,” he said. “Republicans deserve better, Americans deserve better than a party that insists on pandering to this nonsense.” 

Kinzinger said Greene has “regurgitated” Russian propaganda that has been used to justify Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by calling Ukrainians “Nazis.” He said Russia is the only country responsible for the war. 

He added that Greene has attacked anyone who does not “think, look or act” like her. He said Greene has called on members of Congress to go “back to the Middle East” because she disagrees with their political beliefs. 

Kinzinger said McCarthy condemned this type of behavior “just a few years ago” while Greene was running for office. 

He said “today is a profoundly sad moment” for the Republican Party, but these types of moments are becoming too common. 

McCarthy’s Commitment to America is inspired by the 1994 “Contract with America,” created at the time by soon-to-be House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) as part of a plan for Republicans to retake control of Congress. The 1994 midterm elections saw a major victory for Republicans in which the party took control of both houses of Congress.