'Unmitigated disaster': Republicans openly regret McCarthy ouster after double losses

The House Republican majority is beginning to have buyers' remorse over their October ouster of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-California).

The New Republic reported that following two failed votes on the House floor for Israel aid and the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, some Republicans are openly regretting their decision to replace McCarthy last October. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky), who is among the more conservative members of the GOP majority, tweeted his frustrations with his colleagues on Wednesday.

"Getting rid of Speaker McCarthy has officially turned into an unmitigated disaster," Massie wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "All work on separate spending bills has ceased. Spending reductions have been traded for spending increases. Warrantless spying has been temporarily extended. Our majority has shrunk."

READ MORE: Kevin McCarthy 'to depart the House at the end of this year' after being ousted from speakership

Massie even pushed back on a supporter who said they missed expelled former Rep. George Santos (R-New York) but still supported the decision to force McCarthy out of his position.

"Name one thing that’s improved under the new speaker," Massie said in response.

Massie's quip is similar to remarks Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) made on the House floor in late 2023, who challenged his colleagues to name "one thing" Republicans did since taking the majority in 2022 that he could campaign on back in his district. Even the Republican who led the effort to strip the speaker's gavel from McCarthy voiced his regret for triggering the motion to vacate that seven other Republicans joined all Democrats in supporting. In an interview with far-right network Newsmax, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) said Mayorkas' impeachment would have passed had McCarthy — who retired at the end of 2023 — still been in office.

"Wouldn’t it have been nice to still have Kevin McCarthy in the House of Representatives?" Gaetz said. "Never thought you'd hear me say that."