Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) celebrated the group of House GOP members not running for reelection, calling for fewer Republicans like former House Speakers Paul Ryan and Kevin McCarthy.
Gaetz commented on a CNN article discussing the retirements of prominent Republicans, including Reps. Ken Buck (R-CO), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), and Mike Gallagher (R-WI). He said his forcing them out is “wonderful” in a post on X on Monday.
I love this @cnn article.
The fundamental premise is that I’ve made congress so miserable for so many members that they are leaving.
Wonderful!
We can’t save America with the current Republican team. We have to get tougher and smarter. We need newer, bolder voices in the…
— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) February 19, 2024
“I love this [CNN] article. The fundamental premise is that I’ve made congress so miserable for so many members that they are leaving. Wonderful! We can’t save America with the current Republican team,” Gaetz said. “We have to get tougher and smarter. We need newer, bolder voices in the House. If you want to be a Paul Ryan / Kevin McCarthy Republican – THEY DON’T WORK HERE ANYMORE!”
“The ‘institutional knowledge’ i’m accused of wiping out is often knowledge your lawmakers acquire to enrich themselves, trade stocks and sell out We the People. The next phase of our plan is to REPLACE the droves of retiring members with America First Patriots. Republican primary voters must do their part. We have a great nation to save. Send me more backup!” he continued.
The chaos of the 118th Congress has led to 44 House incumbents, including several prominent Republicans, announcing they will not seek another term in November.
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Several GOP House committee chairs, including Rodgers, who chairs the Energy and Commerce Committee, and Rep. Mark Green (R-TN), who chairs the Homeland Security Committee, have been among the announced retirements. McCarthy, whom Gaetz has been a frequent critic of, resigned at the end of 2023.
The current Congress has been plagued with frustrations and disorder, with the chamber being paralyzed twice over its inability to elect a House speaker. The prolonged speaker elections in January 2023 and October 2023 had Gaetz at the center of both. He led the group of House Republicans who opposed McCarthy during the first election until eventually agreeing to vote present, and he filed the motion to vacate McCarthy in October, leading to a three-week limbo as the chamber attempted to elect a speaker.
