Rep. Matt Gaetz, a Republican from Florida, was the primary obstacle to Rep. Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, becoming House Speaker, but he is now a supporter.

“I’d give him an ‘A,’” the representative said to CNN Chief Congressional Correspondent Manu Raju. “I don’t give it lightly. I think he’s done a good job.”

“I think he’s doing better than expected,” another former critic, Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggs said.

Even though they voted against his legislation to raise the debt ceiling, they gave him high evaluations.

“As our nation is careening into a $32 trillion debt, Congress shouldn’t be making final changes at 2 a.m. – the morning of the vote – to legislation raising the debt limit $1.5 trillion,” Rep. Gaetz said of his vote.

“While I applaud the work of my Republican colleagues to demand better energy policy, regulatory reform, welfare-to-work requirements and less spending, a troubling fact remains. This plan will increase America’s debt by $16 trillion over the next ten years.

“Gaslighting nearly $50 trillion in debt to America is something my conscious cannot abide by at this time,” he said.

“Our national debt is a top national security threat. I have never voted to raise the debt ceiling in my time in Congress – even while President Trump was in the Oval Office — and didn’t today for the same reasons,” Rep. Biggs said. “We owe the American people and our future generations sound and responsible fiscal policy. Increasing the national debt to ‘only’ $47 trillion over ten years — an increase of over $14 trillion from today — is misguided and perpetuates Washington’s spending problem.”

Rep. Matt Gaetz, a one-time fierce critic of McCarthy’s, praised his job performance so far. “I’d give him an ‘A,’” he told me. “I don't give it lightly. I think he's done a good job.”
Andy Biggs, who ran against McCarthy: “I think he's doing better than expected,” he said

— Manu Raju (@mkraju) April 27, 2023

Before Republicans voted to raise the debt ceiling, Speaker McCarthy was confident he had the necessary votes.

In an interview with Fox News, anchor Maria Bartiromo asked McCarthy if he had enough votes for the measure that proposes suspending the debt ceiling until it is increased by $1.5 trillion or until March 31, 2024, whichever comes first. The measure includes spending reductions and economic growth-promoting commitments.

“We do have a very small majority, only five seats, one of the smallest we have ever had,” McCarthy said on “Sunday Morning Futures.”

However, he refused to discuss the small number of Republicans who reportedly oppose the measure, stating, “I cannot imagine anyone in our conference supporting [President Joe] Biden’s reckless spending.”

The Speaker added that “everyone had input” during the months-long discussions about the plan, but he cautioned that the majority of members will not get “100 percent” of what they want. In addition, he criticized Biden for refusing to negotiate in the roughly 80 days since the last meeting on the matter, which occurred in early February, according to the Daily Wire.

More on this story via Conservative Brief:

But President Joe Biden has said he will not negotiate with Speaker McCarthy on the debt ceiling. CONTINUE READING…