Rep. Adam Kinzinger on McCarthy Booted out as Speaker: “Oh My Gosh, It Was Great !”

Rep. Adam Kinzinger in a thought-provoking dialogue on “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert, opened up about his new book, “Renegade: Defending Democracy and Liberty in Our Divided Country,” and discussed his role in the decline of the GOP, as well as the ousting of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House. The conversation shed light on the internal struggles within the Republican Party and the challenges facing those who dare to speak out against the status quo.

Admitting Responsibility for GOP’s Decline

Rep. Adam Kinzinger, who has been a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump and his influence on the Republican Party, did not shy away from acknowledging his own role in the GOP’s decline. He emphasized the need for individuals to take responsibility for their actions and the consequences of their choices.

“It’s important if you’re going to talk about your story and talk about the decline of the GOP, of which I was a part, to say I played a role in that,” Rep. Adam Kinzinger, admitted. “I recognize that you play with fire a little bit because it’s creative fundraising, you can get people fired up. I spoke out a lot as a Republican congressman, but not as much as I should have.”

Kinzinger went on to reveal that he had voted against the first impeachment of President Trump out of what he described as “pure cowardice.” He confessed that he had found a technicality to justify his vote, rather than standing up for his convictions, and acknowledged that it was a mistake.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger Kevin McCarthy’s Ousting as Speaker

The conversation then turned to the recent ousting of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House. Kinzinger expressed his satisfaction with this development, emphasizing his disappointment in McCarthy’s leadership.

“Oh, my gosh, it was great. I’m just being honest. This is a guy that I know, to me, the worst thing is not somebody that actually thinks the election was stolen and goes along with that. It’s somebody like Kevin McCarthy that knows it wasn’t stolen. He knows he’s lying but is willing to go along with it anyway,” Rep. Adam Kinzinger, stated.

He criticized McCarthy for abandoning his initial goals of making the GOP appealing to millennials and taking a principled stand against Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election.

The New Speaker, Mike Johnson

When asked about the new Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, Rep. Adam Kinzinger, admitted that he didn’t know much about him. He recounted an encounter where Johnson had asked him to sign onto a lawsuit, but Kinzinger declined, highlighting his reluctance to support actions that would undermine the legitimacy of the election.

Kinzinger also pointed out the irony that Kevin McCarthy initially distanced himself from the same lawsuit until public backlash forced him to acknowledge his involvement.

Shift in Support for Jim Jordan

Discussing the refusal of some Republicans to vote for Jim Jordan as Speaker, Kinzinger commended those who resisted the pressure to support Jordan. He had personally contacted several of these representatives during the deliberation process and was impressed by their commitment to their principles, even in the face of death threats.

However, Kinzinger predicted that these same representatives would eventually relent when Mike Johnson was presented as an alternative, as they did not have strong objections to him and felt that he provided them with an out from supporting Jordan.

Mike Johnson’s Worldview and the Future of the GOP

The conversation concluded with a mention of Mike Johnson’s assertion that his worldview could be understood through the Bible. While Kinzinger did not delve deeply into Johnson’s beliefs, this statement raised questions about the direction the Republican Party might take under Johnson’s leadership.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger’s candid and insightful discussion with Stephen Colbert provided a window into the ongoing struggles within the GOP and the challenges faced by those who seek to defend democracy and liberty within the party. As the political landscape continues to evolve, the role of figures like Kinzinger and the new Speaker, Mike Johnson, remains crucial in shaping the future of American politics.