Current:Home > NewsMcCarthy says "I don't know" if Trump is "strongest" GOP candidate in 2024-VaTradeCoin
McCarthy says "I don't know" if Trump is "strongest" GOP candidate in 2024
View Date:2025-01-07 13:57:27
Washington — House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday said he doesn't know if former President Donald Trump is the "strongest" Republican candidate for president, a rare crack in McCarthy's robust support for the GOP front-runner.
McCarthy made the remark during an interview on CNBC Tuesday morning, in response to questions about Trump's legal battles and electability.
"Can he win that election? Yeah, he can," McCarthy said. "The question is, is he the strongest to win? I don't know that answer. But can somebody, anybody beat Biden? Yeah, anybody can beat Biden. Can Biden beat other people? Yeah, Biden can beat them. It's on any given day."
McCarthy said the the indictments against the former president make the situation "complicated" but could also help him politically.
Some other Republicans have publicly questioned whether Trump is the candidate best positioned for 2024, but McCarthy has consistently defended the former president. Last week, he said he supported resolutions to "expunge" Trump's two impeachments in the House.
The two were at odds after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, with McCarthy saying in a speech on the House floor that Trump "bears responsibility for Wednesday's attack on Congress by mob rioters." They reconciled weeks later, when McCarthy visited Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida and posed for pictures.
McCarthy's assessment that any Republican candidate could beat President Biden is not one that is shared by most Republican primary voters, who still see Trump as the party's best shot to reclaim the White House. A CBS News poll earlier this month found that 62% of GOP primary voters said Trump could "definitely" beat Mr. Biden. Fifty percent said the same for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Trump's nearest rival in the polls. No other candidate elicited more than 20% who said they could definitely beat the president.
Kathryn WatsonKathryn Watson is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital based in Washington, D.C.
veryGood! (188)
Related
- Mandy Moore Captures the Holiday Vibe With These No Brainer Gifts & Stocking Stuffer Must-Haves
- Ex-Indiana basketball player accuses former team doctor of conducting inappropriate exams
- Sen. Bernie Sanders said he is set to pursue contempt charges against Steward CEO
- Man accused in assault that critically wounded Ferguson officer now faces more charges
- Pete Rose fans say final goodbye at 14-hour visitation in Cincinnati
- 2024 MTV VMAs Red Carpet Fashion: See Every Look as the Stars Arrive
- Hall of Famer Joe Schmidt, who helped Detroit Lions win 2 NFL titles, dies at 92
- Francine slams Southeast; most of New Orleans without power: Live updates
- Five best fits for Alex Bregman: Will Astros homegrown star leave as free agent?
- Police failed to see him as a threat. He now may be one of the youngest mass shooters in history.
Ranking
- Dramatic video shows Phoenix police rescue, pull man from car submerged in pool: Watch
- USPS’ long-awaited new mail truck makes its debut to rave reviews from carriers
- DHL sues MyPillow, alleging company founded by Mike Lindell owes $800,000
- 10 best new TV shows to watch this fall, from 'Matlock' to 'The Penguin'
- ‘Heretic’ and Hugh Grant debut with $11 million, but ‘Venom: The Last Dance’ tops box office again
- Apple Watch Series 10: a larger and brighter screen, here is what we know
- How many people watched the Harris-Trump presidential debate?
- Francine weakens moving inland from Gulf Coast after hurricane winds cause blackouts
Recommendation
-
Lunchables get early dismissal: Kraft Heinz pulls the iconic snack from school lunches
-
Campbell wants to say goodbye to the ‘soup’ in its name. It isn’t the first to make such a change
-
Taylor Swift stuns on VMAs red carpet in punk-inspired plaid corset
-
California Slashed Harmful Vehicle Emissions, but People of Color and Overburdened Communities Continue to Breathe the Worst Air
-
Will Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul end in KO? Boxers handle question differently
-
UAW’s rift with Stellantis raises fear that some US auto jobs could vanish
-
Arizona’s 2-page ballots could make for long lines on Election Day
-
2024 MTV VMAs: Taylor Swift Makes History With Artist of the Year Win