The former House speaker thinks the GOP could see a wider exodus as MAGA rift grows
Kevin McCarthy is something of an expert in how quickly the mood of Republican legislators can turn.
The Republican representative from California and former House speaker said on Tuesday that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene‘s upcoming retirement should shock GOP leaders into action. Speaking to Fox News‘ Jesse Watters, McCarthy called the Georgia congresswoman’s announcement a “canary in the coal mine” and warned that further Republican defections were imminent if party leaders didn’t work to promote unity.
“She’s almost like the canary in the coal mine,” McCarthy said. “This is something inside Congress, they’d better wake up, because they are going to get a lot of people retiring, and they’ve got to focus.”
Even before the surprise announcement from one of the party’s most-visible politicians, Republicans were staring down some terrifying math. While the party currently controls the lower chamber, 22 Republican representatives have already shared they won’t contest their seats in 2026. Polling data at the moment points toward a brutal midterm election for Republicans as voters react to the broadly unpopular actions of Donald Trump in his second term.
They’ll get replaced with even dumber, more loyal dickheads that can be bought for much less. Is it good that we might lose more shit birds? Yes. Is it potentially even worse for future us? Also yes. We’re in a lose, lose, lose situation.