NC’s Dan Bishop backs away from Gaetz’s plan to oust Speaker McCarthy

Representative Dan Bishop (NC-08), who has made no secret of his disdain for Kevin McCarthy, said on Tuesday he will not support a motion to oust the Speaker from his leadership post.

Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz offered a motion to remove Speaker McCarthy on Monday for his decision to work with Democrats to pass a stopgap spending bill, averting a government shutdown.

Bishop said that he did not believe that Gaetz had the votes to succeed in his maneuver.

“There must be a substantial groundswell for an effort toward fundamental change. One person’s play call with roughly 5-7 potential supporters portends no path toward success, only chaos,” said Bishop in a statement.

Bishop said “a reckoning” is due in the Republican Party, but he isn’t planning on sticking around the U.S. House of Representatives to see it.

The Union County Republican announced in August his intention to run for North Carolina Attorney General rather than seek re-election to his congressional seat.

“I respect the courage of those who will take a different path,” said Bishop.

Bishop was one of just two votes in North Carolina’s congressional delegation last weekend to vote against the stopgap spending bill to stave off a government shutdown. Republican Greg Murphy (NC-03) joined Bishop in rejecting the short-term fix, allowing for more time for negotiations.