Swalwell predicts McCarthy to exit Congress by end of the year

California Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell has stated that he expects former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy will leave Congress by the end of the year.

"With Santos gone, you’re hearing it here first: the next GOP member to leave Congress will be [Kevin McCarthy]. No way he stays," Swalwell posted on X over the weekend. "A guy who kidney punches his colleagues from behind is too afraid to serve out a full term with them. I bet he’s gone by end of year. What say you?"

Amid internal rivalries with House conservatives, McCarthy become the first speaker removed from his post in U.S. history in early October after Florida GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz led a revolt against his leadership.

Swalwell's "kidney punches" line, appears to refer to a mid-November incident in which McCarthy allegedly elbowed Tennessee GOP Rep. Tim Burchett, who was among the lawmakers who backed his ouster. McCarthy later denied deliberately hitting Burchett, saying "I guess our shoulders hit. I did not run and hit the guy. I did not kidney punch him."

The California Republican's exit would likely be a sweet moment for Swalwell, as the ex-House Speaker earlier this year denied him a spot on the House Intelligence Committee. Swalwell has long attracted scrutiny for his alleged relationship with suspected Chinese spy Christine Fang.

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