Rep. Spartz on McCarthy, quitting: ‘His wishes might come true’

Republican Rep. Victoria Spartz (Ind.) responded Monday to Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) call for the lawmaker not to “quit” Congress, warning the Speaker that “his wishes might come true.”

“Well, his wishes might come true. I’m not sure if he really wishes that, but, you know, I’ll be honest with you — I do need to regroup because I think my party is failing the people,” said Spartz, who announced earlier this year she would not run for reelecton, in an interview on NewsNation’s “The Hill.”

Spartz’s comments are the latest in her back-and-forth with McCarthy, whom she called a “weak Speaker” amid his battle with GOP hard-liners over government funding.

McCarthy shot back that if Spartz is “concerned about fighting stronger, I wish she would’ve run again and not quit.”

When asked about McCarthy’s comments, Spartz suggested the Speaker’s tumultuous stint running the House could make her reconsider her future.

“But maybe this fight needs to be won here and I have to decide because I feel if we are not going to save this republic, there is no [one] else who’s going to stand up for people,” Spartz said.

“It’s sad, but I think we cannot give up, we cannot give in. We have to regroup … and I’m not quitting and I’m not going to quit the fight for our country,” she continued.

“I just need to decide where the battles have to be fought. And unfortunately, with this leadership, I don’t think we can win unless we make some changes.”

A group of Republicans announced an internal deal Sunday night for a stopgap bill to avert a government shutdown. If approved, the deal would extend the funding deadline by a month, cut all spending except for the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs and enact a large part of the House GOP’s marquee border bill.

The proposal has already been met with some Republican opposition, jeopardizing its approval.

When asked if the deal could cost McCarthy his job, Spartz said “it might.”

“I think it might cost his job at some point … you have to keep your promises,” Spartz said. “And if you’re not willing to fight for the people, you know, maybe we’ll have to have someone else trying to fight, but I haven’t seen him trying to fight the fight.”

A continuing resolution would need to be approved by Congress to fund the government past Sept. 30 to avoid a government shutdown.

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