Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz (R) on Thursday evening tweeted a mocking comment about three top GOP congressional leaders, labeling them a “McFailure” in a play on their last names.
“McCarthy. McConnell. McDaniel. McFailure,” tweet Gaetz, meaning Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, and Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel.
The tweet from Gaetz, a Republican who on Tuesday won re-election for Florida’s 1st congressional district, comes as this week’s midterm results show a tight contest for control of the House and Senate.
Gaetz’s tweet laid part of the blame on McCarthy, McConnell, and McDaniel. The Florida representative has excoriated McCarthy before, describing the house minority leader as “weak” and not worthy of being a leader, while highlighting his own loyalty to Trump.
McCarthy and McConnell have both kept their distance from Donald Trump and his claims that the 2020 election was rigged. McConnell pointed out that Trump lost in 2020 by seven million votes in the popular ballot and 306-232 in the Electoral College.
The New York Times reported in April that McCarthy and McConnell blasted Trump in the wake of the Capitol riot, with McCarthy saying he would have asked Trump to resign. McCarthy called the report “false and wrong,” after which The Times published an audio recording of the incident.
Trump has in turn repeatedly called for McConnell to be replaced, attacking him and his wife, Elaine Chao. Trump, however, said he would support McCarthy for a bid for speaker of the House.
McDaniel also distanced herself from claims of voter fraud in November’s midterms, saying on CNN that her party “should accept the results.” McDaniel had a caveat, saying candidates should let “the process play out” with recounts and court decisions should results be challenged.
The GOP leadership has clearly sparked controversy within the party by turning their backs on Donald Trump, and both Matt Gaetz and millions of Republicans feel that their lack of support for Trump has contributed severely to dividing the party.
