Kevin McCarthy reveals why he skipped Nancy Pelosi’s departure speech

McCarthy is expected to become House speaker in the new Congress

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy revealed why he skipped outgoing House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s address announcing that she would step aside from her position as Democratic leader.

Mr McCarthy, largely expected to succeed Ms Pelosi as speaker of the House, told reporters he was busy in meetings.

“I had meetings, but normally, the others would do it during votes — I wish she could have done that, I could have been there,” he said, The New York Postreported.

Mr McCarthy was not present in the chamber when she announced that she would not seek another term as Democratic leader but would serve another term in Congress. He said he wished she would have announced her retirement in leadership as her predecessors did.

“Normally, when the speakers do that, like Paul Ryan and John Boehner did it during the vote, I would have liked that,” he said.

Mr McCarthy did remark at how long Ms Pelosi and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer have led the House Democratic Caucus.

“It’s not just her, it’s Steny too — I mean, think about it. They’ve both had quite a career of how many decades they’ve been here, working through — so, it’s a whole new generation for the Democrats,” he said.

House Minority Leader Steve Scalise, who is set to become majority leader in the next Congress, was present in the chamber during Ms Pelosi’s speech.

Ms Pelosi’s announcement came after Democrats lost their majority in the 2022 midterm elections.

Ms Pelosi and Mr McCarthy had a fraught relationship throughout much of the most recent Congress. A key fracture point came when he nominated Representatives Jim Jordan and Jim Banks to serve on the House select committee investigating the January 6 riot at the US Capitol.

Ms Pelosi rebuffed the nominations, which led Mr McCarthy to pulling the rest of his members.