(NewsNation) — Montana Congressman Matthew Rosendale, who was among the eight congressmen voting to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy, said the removal had to be done.
“I take no pleasure in having to remove Kevin McCarthy from the speaker’s position. But unfortunately, it had to be done. You cannot take legislation and depend more upon Democrat votes when you’re the Republican majority,” Rosendale told “Elizabeth Vargas Reports.”
Rosendale explained while he believes in compromise on policy, he won’t compromise on his principles.
“Who was Kevin McCarthy representing? The Democrats? Or was he representing the Republican majority?” Rosendale said.
The representative criticized McCarthy for relying on more Democratic votes than Republican votes to pass legislation, which he found concerning.
Hardliners in the House GOP voted to oust McCarthy following his dependence on Democratic votes to secure the passage of a short-term spending deal preventing a government shutdown.
“They don’t get to say they’re conservative, because they’re angry, and they’re chaotic. They are not conservatives, and they do not have the right to have the title,” McCarthy said of the eight GOP representatives who voted to oust him.
When asked if Rosendale would insist on keeping the rule that allows a single member of Congress the ability to oust the speaker, the representative said that it wasn’t on his priority list.
“I’ll tell you what is high on my list priorities; that the next speaker be trustworthy so that when they make agreements with the conference in the room behind closed doors, and they negotiate with Hakeem Jeffries or Chuck Schumer or President Biden, that those commitments stay in place,” Rosendale said.