Kevin McCarthy: Election Showed American People Are ‘Fed Up’ with Democrats

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) argued on Sunday that the recent election results have proven “the American people” are “fed up” with the leadership of congressional Democrats.

McCarthy, who led House Republicans to within a few seats of retaking the chamber last November, made the remarks shortly after the 117th Congress took office. The minority leader, in particular, used the occasion to lambast the partisanship of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and her conference that had made the last two years some of the “least productive” in congressional history.

“Two months ago today, the American people said enough,” McCarthy said. “Enough with politicians who dictate what you can say, where you can eat, and whether you can go to church.”

“Enough with politicians who ignore the stay-at-home lockdowns they impose on the rest of us,” the minority leader added. “Enough with the arrogance and the hypocrisy. Americans are fed up with it and we Republicans are too.”

The minority leader asserted that the embrace of radical ideas, including defunding the police, by some progressive Democrats had created an opportunity for Republicans to show they had the voters’ best interests in mind.

“As the Party of Lincoln, Republicans understand what it means to carry our constituents’ concerns with us at all times,” McCarthy said. “We are a growing, working-class coalition of proud Americans — more energetic, united, and confident than ever before.”

“We have listened to our constituents,” he added. “And we made a Commitment to America to restore our way of life, to rebuild the economy, and to renew the American Dream.”

McCarthy’s remarks came shortly after Pelosi secured another term as speaker. Pelosi’s victory, however, was narrow and without a majority of the 435-member House. In fact, the speaker only held on, in part, because of help from “the squad” a group of progressives and self-described democratic socialists, led by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).

Pelosi’s slim hold on the speakership came after Democrats lost ten house seats this past November. The majority of the losses came from moderate districts that had previously voted for Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump.