Kevin McCarthy outlines the Republican agenda just days before the midterms

McAllen, Texas
CNN
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House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy is vowing to secure the border, cut government spending and launch tougher investigations into the Biden administration if Republicans prevail. Mars wins the houseReflecting McCarthy’s mix of priorities, he will be forced to contend with an itchy hardline and pro-Trump convention. President Joe Biden should be impeached.

In an exclusive, wide-ranging interview with CNN two days before the midterm elections, McCarthy outlined his plans for office, including tackling inflation, rising crime and border security — three issues that have become central to Republicans turning off voters. Hammering that news, McCarthy — who has been sweeping the country ahead of the midterm elections — gathered here Sunday to join a trio of Hispanic GOP women vying to represent key districts along the southern border. A party’s strategy to gain majority.

“The first thing you’re going to see is the border control bill,” McCarthy told CNN when asked for details on his party’s immigration plans. “You have to get control of the border. You’ve got almost 2 million people coming in this year alone.

The Biden administration continues to rely on the Trump-era pandemic emergency rule, Known as Title 42, which allows border officials to turn away migrants at the US-Mexico border. In fiscal year 2022, U.S. border crossings are expected to top 2 million, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data, amid massive migration into the Western Hemisphere. Of those, more than 1 million were repatriated under Title 42.

But McCarthy also highlighted Supervision and investigations The GOP-led House lists potential inspections as a top priority Chaotic Afghan evacuation, the origins of the Covid-19 pandemic and how the administration handled parent and school board meetings. And he has opened the door to the eventual impeachment process that some of his members have already begun to call for.

“We will never use impeachment for political purposes,” McCarthy said. “Just because something is appropriate for an occasion doesn’t mean it can’t be used at any other time.”

McCarthy tried to reaffirm his support for Ukraine, with the MAGA-wing calling for a cutoff of funding to Ukraine while the GOP’s defense hawks vowed not to abandon the country amid a war with Russia. Help.

“I’m very supportive of Ukraine,” McCarthy said. “I think there needs to be accountability going forward. … You always need, not a blank check, but make sure the resources are going where they’re needed. Make sure Congress and the Senate have the ability to debate it openly.

McCarthy declined to say how many seats he thought Republicans would pick up on Tuesday, but said he believed it would be “at least enough to win a majority.” In his view, McCarthy said, “anywhere over the age of 20 is a red tide.”

McCarthy, who dropped out of the speaker race in 2015 amid opposition from the far-right House Freedom Caucus, told CNN he hopes to get support from his caucus this time around to win the speakership. Former President Donald Trump.

“I’m sure we’ll get the votes for speaker, yes,” McCarthy said. “I think Trump would be very supportive.”

Regarding the influx of immigrants at the border, McCarthy said “there are a number of ways” his majority would deal with the problem, but said Republicans won’t put a bill on the floor to fix the broken immigration system until the border is secure.

“I think ‘stay in Mexico,'” he said, referring to the controversial policy that forces immigrants in the United States to remain in Mexico while awaiting their immigration proceedings.

To stop the flow of fentanyl coming across the border, McCarthy said, “If you attack China first, stop the poisoning,” then “give border agents the evidence they need” and “make sure it’s fentanyl.” Anytime someone wants to move it, you can sentence him to death.

When pressed for specifics on his plans to fight crime, McCarthy said Republicans would fund police, provide grants for recruitment and training, and look at how crimes are prosecuted. And to lower inflation and gas prices, he said they would cut government spending and make America more energy independent, though he did not name specific bills.

Most bills will primarily be messaging initiatives that are unlikely to override the president’s veto or authority. 60 votes of the Senate, they must pass legislation to fund the government and raise the national debt ceiling at some point next year. McCarthy, however, said Republicans would demand spending cuts in exchange for raising the debt ceiling, which could lead to a catastrophic financial crisis and a catastrophic debt default.

“If you’re going to give a person too much range, wouldn’t you first tell them to change their behavior so you don’t grow up all the time?” he said. You shouldn’t say, “Oh, I’m going to let you spend the money.” No household should do that.

McCarthy acknowledged that Republicans were willing to raise the debt ceiling under Trump, but said the calculus is different now that Democrats have spent trillions of dollars under Biden.

When pressed on whether he wanted to risk default by using the debt ceiling as a bargaining chip, McCarthy insisted it wouldn’t happen: “People are talking about risking it. You don’t risk a default.

In addition to working to regain the majority, McCarthy is also campaigning to win the Speakership. A key part of that strategy is boosting potential critics and controversial Trump allies.

To that end, McCarthy, Georgia’s new representative. Marjorie Taylor promised to reinstate Greene on her committee, but her strikes were overturned by Democrats last year.

Meanwhile, McCarthy reiterated his plans to remove California Democrat Representative Eric Swalwell from the House Intelligence Committee.

Asked if he had any restrictions on which committees Green could serve on, McCarthy — who has direct say in carrying out those tasks — said “no.” Green previously told CNN he wanted a seat on the House Oversight Committee, which would play a key role in the majority GOP-led investigations.

“She’s going to have committees to work on just like every other member … Members are requesting different committees and as we go through the steering committee, we’ll look at that,” he said. “Like any other elected member of our convention, she can go through the committees she wants.”

Green wasn’t the only member to spout conspiracy theories or incendiary rhetoric. More recently, some Republicans mocked Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s brutal attack on her husband, Paul Pelosi, or spread fringe conspiracy theories about the incident.

Asked for his message to those Republicans, McCarthy said: “What happened to Paul Pelosi was wrong, and I don’t think we should get into this rhetoric.”

But when pressed on how he would tone down that type of rhetoric, McCarthy pointed a finger at Democrats.

“The first thing I would ask the president is not to call half the nation idiots or say something about them because they have a difference of opinion,” he said. “I think leadership is important, and I think that probably starts with the president. And it starts with the speaker.

Asked again how he would deal with members of his own party who spread dangerous conspiracy theories, McCarthy replied: “I’ve seen people on both sides of the aisle,” he said. “If I am Speaker, I will be Speaker of the entire House. So it doesn’t just look at Republicans. We also look at Democrats.