House Speaker Kevin McCarthy says former President Donald Trump can possibly beat President Joe Biden in the 2024 election, but suggested he’s uncertain if Trump is the strongest candidate the GOP can put forward.
McCarthy, who previously said Trump “bears responsibility” for the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol, made the comments during an interview on CNBC’s Squawk Box.
“Can Trump beat Biden? Yeah, he can beat Biden,” McCarthy explained. “The Republicans get to select their nominee. I think if you want to go sheer policy-to-policy, it’s not good for Republicans, it’s good for America,” referencing Trump’s policy positions vis-à-vis Biden’s.
“Trump’s policies are better straightforward than Biden’s,” he added.
When asked if the growing number of current and probable indictments against the former president complicate his bid for a return to the White House, McCarthy said, “It makes it complicated, but also helps him.
“Can he win that election? Yeah, he can. The question is, is he the strongest to win the election? I don’t know that answer. But can anybody beat Biden? Yeah, anybody can beat Biden. Can Biden beat other people? Yes, Biden can beat ‘em,” McCarthy said.
McCarthy never said which other candidates he considered a stronger option than Trump, the clear frontrunner for the GOP, who maintains between a 30- and 45- point lead over his closest challenger Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in numerous polls.
As noted by NBC News, “The House speaker’s remarks are notable given his alliance and longstanding defense of Trump and his actions.”
Last week, McCarthy publicly backed resolutions from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to expunge both of Trump’s impeachments.
“I support that,” McCarthy said regarding the resolutions. “We’ll see. It has to go through committee. I voted against both impeachments. The second impeachment had no due process.”
While Trump is widely considered a shoo-in for the Republican 2024 nomination — barring any developments related to numerous looming court cases — whether he can pull off a victory in the general election remains a topic of debate for watchers within and outside the GOP.
Current election forecasting from Race to the White House, which analyzes every major poll and weighs them for bias and a history of accuracy, shows that if the election were held today, Trump would likely lose to Biden, securing only 234 electoral votes to Biden’s 302.
To win the presidency, a candidate needs at least 270 electoral college votes.
The same forecasting shows that if the election were held today, DeSantis would likely beat Biden, winning 282 electoral votes, compared to Biden’s 252.
