Jun 27, 2023 - Politics & Policy

McCarthy doesn't know if Trump is "strongest" 2024 candidate

Erin Doherty

U.S. House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) speaks during a weekly news conference May 28, 2020 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC — House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) speaks during a weekly news conference May 28, 2020. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Tuesday that he thinks former President Trump could beat President Biden in 2024, but expressed some doubt about whether the former president is the "strongest" candidate.

Why it matters: McCarthy has not given an endorsement in the crowded 2024 Republican contest, but he's been a staunch ally to Trump, especially as he faces criminal charges.

Driving the news: "Can Trump beat Biden, yeah, he can beat Biden," McCarthy said Tuesday on CNBC.

"Trump's policies are better, straightforward, than Biden's policies," he added.
“Can he win that election? Yeah, he can,” McCarthy said, when asked about the investigations facing the former president.
"The question is, is he the strongest to win the election? I don't know that answer."

The big picture: McCarthy has joined some of his Republican colleagues in blasting the Department of Justice following Trump's historic indictment over his handling of classified documents.

"House Republicans will hold this brazen weaponization of power accountable," he wrote in a tweet earlier this month.
A spokesperson for Trump did not immediately respond to Axios' request for comment.

The growing 2024 Republican field includes Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley and former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson.

Go deeper: GOP loyalty pledge draws heat from 2024 candidates

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McCarthy doesn't know if Trump is "strongest" 2024 candidate

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