Moderate Republican argues McCarthy should return as Speaker, citing Israel unrest

Rep. John Duarte (R-Calif.) argued in a Monday interview that former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) should be reinstated in the top post, saying the unrest in Israel changes the political dynamic and the stakes in the House. 

In an interview on “Fox & Friends,” Duarte said Saturday’s surprise attack by Hamas on Israel necessitates an experienced leader taking the reins in Congress, and he said McCarthy — who made history last Tuesday as the first Speaker of the House to be ousted from the position — is the person prepared for the job. 

“There is no greater friend of Israel than Kevin McCarthy,” Duarte said. “We need Kevin McCarthy back in the Speakership right now. We need to get that vote done this week.”

“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,” Duarte said. “Kevin McCarthy should never have been ousted. He has led through some of the most bipartisan constructive legislation that’s happened in the House for years, and he is an excellent speaker. We need to get him back.”

Eight Republicans voted last week with Democrats to remove McCarthy from his post. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) have announced their intentions to replace McCarthy — a decision the House GOP conference hopes to make at the candidate conference Tuesday.

Duarte said he thinks the chances of electing a new Speaker were “very low, very low,” saying, “Jim Jordan’s a fine man. Steve Scalise is a fine man. They’re good guys. But getting the conference lined up around them, and neither one of them has the experience.”

“Kevin McCarthy has put Israel first in so much of his policy and so much of his development of the Congress itself that he stands alone in his ability to navigate this with our ally, Israel,” Duarte said.

He called on Democrats to vote present or “take a walk” during the Speaker vote, letting McCarthy gain the majority. Duarte noted that two members are back this week, after their health-related absences last week precluded them from voting in the decision to oust McCarthy.

“We only need a few more votes to get Kevin McCarthy back in the chair as the Speaker, where we can help our ally Israel and help the American people. We’ve got a lot of work to do. We don’t need a prolonged speaker fight,” Duarte said.

“I think our conference and a few Democrats are going to sober up and do what’s right for the country at this point,” he added.

Duarte also predicted McCarthy would be happy to take up the mantle again if he were called upon to do so. 

“Kevin McCarthy will always put the country first. If the country needs him back, and we can get him back in there, he’ll serve, I have no doubt,” he said.