Kevin McCarthy gets first primary challenger after losing speaker's gavel

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy will face a primary challenger for his seat in Congress in 2024 in the form of a self-described "America First Republican," after being ousted from lower chamber leadership by a group of dissident conservative lawmakers.

McCarthy became the first House Speaker ever removed from the post in early October after eight Republicans, led by Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz, voted with Democrats to remove him. Gaetz cited broken promises McCarthy made to his initial detractors to win the job in January.

McCarthy won election to his California congressional seat in 2006. Though he retained that position after losing the Speaker's gavel, he must now fend off a second challenge to his continued political career, as David Giglio on Sunday filed the paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to run for the seat, according to The Hill.

"I am excited to announce my campaign to defeat Kevin McCarthy in California’s 20th Congressional District. After years of being sold out to special interests, the people of the Central Valley deserve an America First Republican fighting for them in Washington and working alongside President Donald Trump to WAGE WAR against the corrupt uniparty!" Giglio's said on his campaign site.

"Kevin McCarthy was removed as Speaker by 8 courageous members of his party for failing to keep to his promises and capitulating to Joe Biden and the radical Democrats. Kevin McCarthy must be defeated," he continued.

Giglio labelled McCarthy part of the "DC uniparty," alongside President Joe Biden and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, saying he "continues to sell out the American people to special interests and globalist oligarchs."

The McCarthy challenger resides in Clovis, Calif., where he owns the sports memorabilia store CaliCards & More.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.