Gaetz Nominates Jordan For Speaker; Opens Can of Slap Your Momma On McCarthy

Rep. Matt Gaetz on Tuesday delivered a scathing rebuke of Rep. Kevin McCarthy as the California Republican fights an uphill battle to become House speaker.

"If you want to drain the swamp, you cannot put the biggest alligator in charge of the exercise," Gaetz said. "I'm a Florida man and I know of what I speak."

Gaetz is among at least five hardline Republicans who are opposed to McCarthy leading the GOP conference after the party won a narrow House majority in the 2022 midterm elections.

Their resistance has left McCarthy short of the 218 votes he needs to secure the gavel, threatening his chances of earning the top post. Republicans now hold 222 seats, and Democrats control 212. Another nine Republicans over the weekend also criticized McCarthy, withholding support for him.