McCarthy ‘no’ vote says ex-speaker needs to change to consider voting for him in future

Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) on Tuesday said former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy would have to change to earn his vote for the Speakership.

“His style of leadership’s gotta change,” Burchett said in an interview on The Hill on NewsNation.

Burchett was one of eight Republicans who voted for a motion to vacate McCarthy on Tuesday, resulting in his ouster from the role.

“He needs to come to the revelation that the path we’re going down and the path we’ve been going down the last 30 years is broken and that we need to change it,” Burchett said.

Burchett added that his vote to oust McCarthy was solidified after the California Republican made a “condescending” comment towards him.

“He just said something that was very condescending to me — and it doesn’t really matter at this point — but at that point, I thought to myself that that pretty much sealed it right there,” Burchett told reporters in the wake of the vote. 

McCarthy said he will not run again for Speaker later Tuesday, adding that it was an “honor to serve” in the role.

“Look, I’ve been very fortunate,” the former Speaker said. “When I came to Congress, in my second term, I got to be chief deputy whip. I got to be majority whip. I got to be majority leader. I’ve been minority leader, and I’ve been Speaker. I’ve been blessed. And there’s something about 10,000 hours … I believe in it, lot of different experience. And I believe in bringing new blood up and helping them, and I want to help them all the way.”