Matt Gaetz Celebrates Primary Win By Rubbing It In Ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s Face

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), the right-wing representative under investigation by the House Ethics Committee, took time from celebrating his overwhelming primary election win Tuesday to give a mocking shoutout to his nemesis, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).

“Sign me up for the next Revenge Tour,” Gaetz posted on social media Tuesday night.

Gaetz was highlighting the survival of most of the GOP legislators that McCarthy had dubbed “the crazy eight,” the Gaetz-led group of Republicanswho had voted with Democrats to get rid of McCarthy back in October. McCarthy, a former representative from Bakersfield, California, was the first speaker ever ousted by a floor vote in House history.

The ouster set off an embarrassing three-week power struggle within the House Republican Conference to find a successor, culminating in the election of current Speaker Mike Johnson. But it also led to a threat from McCarthy that he would try to use his well-known fundraising prowess to help primary opponents of the eight GOPers, an effort that was nicknamed his “revenge tour.”

Ten months later, that tour seems to have ended not with a bang but with a whimper.

At his post-election victory party , Gaetz told his supporters McCarthy had raised $3 million to help his opponent, Aaron Dimmock, only to see Gaetz’s share of the primary vote rise from 70% in 2022 to almost 73%.

“So Kevin, if you’re watching, spend a little more next time and we’ll get to 80 [percent]!” Gaetz said.

The race was an ignominious end to McCarthy’s efforts, which he first hinted at soon after his ouster .

“I’m not quite sure those individuals are looking to be productive,” he said after the October vote of the Republicans who sided against him. “The