Defiant Gaetz Continues To Buck McCarthy Potential Speakership

One big reason is Gaetz, who has been perhaps the most vocal opponent of a McCarthy speakership. Gaetz and a handful of other House Republicans have said they won’t support him.

McCarthy has already set up shop in the speaker’s office at the Capitol. On Monday, he met with Gaetz, who emerged to say he hasn’t budged. In a video posted on Twitter by Haley Talbot of NBC News, he called it “a brief and productive discussion.”

“How was it productive?” a reporter asked.

“Insofar that it was brief,” replied Gaetz, who was flanked by Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), another fierce McCarthy critic.

Asked to elaborate, he declined.

“Has he won your support yet, congressman?” asked Robert Costa of CBS News.

“No,” Gaetz answered.