Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy — who announced today that he's leaving Congress at the end of the year — is already hinting at a revenge tour.

• Why it matters: Since his short-lived speakership ended in October, McCarthy has repeatedly taken aim at the eight Republicans who voted to oust him.

The California Republican, known as a master fundraiser, called himself a "free agent" who's now able to endorse primary candidates.

• McCarthy wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed today that he "will continue to recruit our country's best and brightest to run for elected office."
• One McCarthy critic told Axios last month that the former speaker will likely use millions in PAC funds to meddle in the races of his GOP foes.

🔎 Zoom in: Tensions between McCarthy and his critics have been evident since the motion to vacate took place.

• McCarthy predicted that Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) — who led the effort to remove him — will be kicked out of Congress and said he "belongs in jail."
• On Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), McCarthy said: "If you've watched her, just her philosophy and the flip-flopping. ... I don't believe she wins re-election."
• He joked about Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.) facing a possible primary challenge from a former Navy SEAL. "You mean the military guy? I heard something about him."

👀 What we're watching: Some Republicans have voiced concerns about their already razor-thin majority shrinking further.

• Go deeper with Axios’ Juliegrace Brufke.

Taylor Swift's record-setting year just got a little bit bigger, Axios' Dave Lawler writes:

• She was named TIME magazine's person of the year — the first entertainer ever to be a solo honoree.

Her Eras Tour was a national phenomenon, she dominated the charts and released a blockbuster concert film.

• Time's cover story ... Inside the decision.

1. 💰 Leaders of the nation's biggest banks attacked regulators over their proposals to toughen industry rules — threatening at a Senate hearing to challenge the plan's constitutionality. More from Axios' Courtenay Brown.
2. 🍔 McDonald's said that it's planning to expand at a record pace and open 10,000 new restaurants by the end of 2027, Axios' Kelly Tyko writes.
3. 🎒 The College Board updated its AP African American studies curriculum after parts of it were criticized by Florida's Department of Education, Axios' April Rubin writes.

Norman Lear — the writer and producer who revolutionized TV with groundbreaking sitcoms in the 1970s — has died at 101.

• His shows, starting with "All in the Family," depicted political and social upheaval that was rarely seen on American TV.

They reached vast audiences that would be unthinkable for TV shows today.

• At one point in the mid-70s, Lear had eight series watched by an estimated 120 million Americans each week — more than half of the country's population.
• This year's Super Bowl, by contrast, had about 113 million viewers, according to Nielsen.

Lear's other shows included "Sanford and Son," The Jeffersons" and "Maude." "But none had the impact of 'All in the Family,'" the Los Angeles Times writes.

• In a 2002 interview, he said: "People always say, 'Did it change anything?' I can't say. But when people turned the shows off, conversation ensued."

Go deeper: Norman Lear, TV's Greatest American (N.Y. Times — gift link)