Why McCarthy’s resignation could leave 'biggest loser' MTG 'on the outside looking in': analysis
Unlike other ultra-MAGA Republicans serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) has been a major ally of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-California). The far-right conspiracy theorist and Donald Trump devotee was vehemently opposed to ousting McCarthy from the House speaker position, and she wasn't happy to hear that McCarthy is resigning from Congress.
Not only is McCarthy not seeking reelection in 2024 — the California Republican announced, in a Wall Street Journal op-ed on December 6, that he won't be serving out the rest of his term and is leaving Congress at the end of the year.
In a ReidOut blog column published on December 7, MSNBC's Ja'han Jones lays out some reasons why McCarthy's resignation could be bad news for Greene.
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Greene's tone was far from optimistic when she posted a December 6 tweet following McCarthy's announcement.
The two-term congresswoman posted, "Well.. Now in 2024, we will have a 1 seat majority in the House of Representatives. Congratulations Freedom Caucus for one and 105 Rep who expel our own for the other. I can assure you Republican voters didn’t give us the majority to crash the ship. Hopefully no one dies."
That tweet, according to Jones, "underscores the possibility that she will end up the biggest loser after McCarthy leaves Congress later this month since his departure will arguably leave her with less power." The departure, Jones adds, "unquestionably will leave her without one of her most powerful allies."
"Before his ouster," Jones explains, "Greene had boasted about her ability to convince McCarthy to use his speakership to pursue far-right goals, including the selective release of January 6 footage to right-wing news outlets. And as my colleague Steve Benen noted earlier this year, McCarthy has showered praise on Greene this year, calling the conspiratorial lawmaker one of the 'best' legislators in the House."
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Jones continues, "But now that McCarthy is leaving, it seems Greene may have placed her bets on the wrong horse. And given the fact she's been attacking House Speaker Mike Johnson lately, one might say Greene's back where she started in the House Republican caucus: on the outside looking in."
Read Ja'han Jones' full ReidOut blog column at this MSNBC link.
