Kevin McCarthy open to Being Consensus Speaker in Event of Deadlock

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) signaled Monday that he is open to being a consensus Speaker candidate if House Republicans cannot decide who will lead the legislative body.

McCarthy spoke to radio host Hugh Hewitt on if he would serve as the leader of the House in the event that Republicans cannot coalesce around House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) or House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA).

“Look, the conference has to make that decision. I’m still a member. I’m going to continue to fight and act,” McCarthy remarked.

It remains unlikely that the conservatives who voted to remove McCarthy will change course and move to reinstate him.

RELATED: Rep. Matt Gaetz Introduces Resolution to Remove Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House

U.S. House of Representatives

Asked if he would take the job if there were a majority vote to reinstate him as Speaker, McCarthy said, “Look, whatever the conference wants, I will do. I think we need to be strong. I think we need to be united. The eight, in my view, don’t look to be — it was a personal thing.”

Reps. John Duarte (R-CA) and Tom McClintock (R-CA) said that McCarthy should be Speaker again, especially in light of the conflict between Hamas and Israel.

WATCH: Video Shows Hamas Rockets, Paragliders, Terrorists Streaming into Israel

Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades via Storyful

McCarthy voiced frustration with the Republicans who did not vote for a stop-gap spending bill to fund the government until November 17. McCarthy’s move to pass the stop-gap spending bill led many House conservatives to vote to oust the California Republican from the Speaker’s chair.

HISTORIC: House Votes to Remove Kevin McCarthy from Speakership

U.S. House of Representatives

“They’re the ones who wanted a government shutdown,” McCarthy said.

“We wouldn’t be paying our troops while we’re putting out a carrier strike fighter there – 30,000 American men and women in our armed services in the Middle East wouldn’t be being paid right now? I mean, what weakness would we be at?” he concluded.

Sean Moran is a policy reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.