Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy voiced strong concerns about the prospect of Kamala Harris leading the nation, warning Americans about her leadership based on his first-hand experience in California. McCarthy, who served more than eight terms representing a southern California district, reflected on Harris’ time as California’s Attorney General and U.S. Senator, criticizing her for what he views as the state’s decline.
“I’m from California. I do not wish what she did to my state [on] the rest of the nation,” McCarthy said during an interview on The Cat’s Roundtable with John Catsimatidis on Sunday morning. He specifically pointed to rising crime rates in California cities, suggesting that Harris’ policies contributed to these issues.
“Think about the crime that is going on,” McCarthy emphasized. “This all hinges from what Kamala has done… in San Francisco.” He further criticized her record as district attorney, claiming, “She was a DA who wouldn’t prosecute.”
McCarthy also took aim at Harris’ current presidential campaign, alleging that she is being controlled by former President Barack Obama’s team. “Barack Obama’s team has taken over,” he asserted during the interview. According to McCarthy, this is why Harris has been kept out of the spotlight, avoiding interviews and press conferences.
Since Harris entered the 2024 presidential race on July 21 after President Joe Biden announced he would not seek reelection, she has only participated in one formal interview, which some critics called a “softball” discussion with CNN’s Dana Bash. In the 49 days of her campaign, she has yet to hold a press conference and has rarely engaged with reporters.
“The idea is don’t talk to the press,” McCarthy said of Harris’ strategy, suggesting that her campaign deliberately kept her entry into the race until just before the Democratic National Convention in August. He speculated on the reasoning behind the timing, stating, “The idea that Kamala could never win a long election – let’s make it short. That is not right.”
With only eight weeks left until Election Day on November 5, Harris’ campaign is now in the shortest presidential race in modern American history. McCarthy also criticized Harris’ previous bid for the White House in the 2020 Democratic primary, where she dropped out of the race early. He echoed Republican claims that Harris was “coronated” as the Democratic nominee without any votes cast for her.
Looking ahead to the November election, McCarthy predicted, “I believe at the end of the day the election will not be close.”