Kevin McCarthy has a few more things to say about his ouster

. He has said he was surprised by the events that lead to his ouster and felt blindsided. In an interview with Fox News, he noted that his deputies were more focused on “exploring options for new leadership” than on trying to help him “stay in place”. He also said that it was clear to him that he had “lost the support of a number of people in the conference” and that it was “time to shift”.

Overall, McCarthy has expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to lead the House and said he hoped “this party can do well in the upcoming election.” He also said he wants to help Republicans “take back the majority in 2022.”