McCarthy ally says speaker fight ‘very personal’ for Gaetz, but that his actions ‘damaging’ America

FIRST ON FOX: A Republican ally behind House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy in his quest for the speaker’s gavel said the chamber fight is ‘very personal’ for Rep.-elect Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., but warned that actions are ‘damaging’ America.

Rep.-elect Austin Scott, R-Ga., weighed in on Gaetz’s Thursday proclamation on the Ingraham Angle that he would ‘resign’ if a moderate Republican is elected speaker with support from Democrats.

‘I’m on the floor, Laura, these 212 Democrats are going to vote for Hakeem Jeffries every single time,’ Gaetz said. ‘He is a historic candidate for them, they’re not going to cleave off under any circumstance, I assure you that.’

‘If Democrats join up to elect a moderate Republican, I will resign from the House of Representatives. That is how certain I am,’ the Florida Republican continued. ‘I can ensure your viewers that will not happen.’

Scott told Fox News Digital on Friday that Gaetz’s fight in the gavel battle is ‘very personal’ and that he does not want Gaetz to call it quits, but warned the ‘consequences’ of the Florida Republican’s actions are ‘damaging’ to America, the people who want Gaetz in Congress and himself.

‘I want Jim Jordan to run the Judiciary Committee, I want James Comer to run the Oversight Committee, I wanted Jim and James to get to work yesterday, and I don’t want Matt Gaetz to resign,’ Scott said.

‘I actually like having people in Congress that can’t be pushed around,’ he continued. ‘The problem is that while this is very personal for Matt, the consequences of his actions are damaging to America, people who actually want him here, and quite honestly him.’

Gaetz has been one of the leaders of the 21 GOP holdouts against McCarthy in the speaker race that has seen now 11 ballots to determine the House’s top dog.

The Florida congressman-elect is dug in with his 20 other holdouts and has nominated several candidates to siphon votes away from McCarthy, including Reps.-elect Jim Jordan of Ohio and Byron Donalds of Florida, as well as former President Trump.

Trump, Gaetz’s political mentor, endorsed McCarthy for the job and called on Republicans to coalesce behind the GOP leader, but Gaetz went rogue.

‘Sad!’ Gaetz said on Wednesday. ‘This changes neither my view of McCarthy, nor Trump, nor my vote.’

McCarthy can only lose four votes as he guns for the gavel. The GOP leader has been making concessions to the holdouts amid their many demands to change the chamber rules, committee and subcommittee chairmanships, and more.