House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy cheered the growing GOP field for the 2016 presidential nomination Monday, saying it cues up forward-looking debate while the Democrats rally around Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Sen. Marco Rubio, Florida Republican, announced his White House bid Monday, joining fellow Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ted Cruz of Texas as official candidates.
“I think the field for Republicans has done nothing but get stronger, especially this time,” said Mr. McCarthy, California Republican. “I think there’s going to be a lot of options out there. I think there’s going to be great debate.”
He acknowledged that Mrs. Clinton entered the field on the Democratic side Sunday, although he did not utter her name.
“She’s done that before. It didn’t turn out well for her last time,” he said of her 2008 primary bid against now-President Obama.
Democrats, he argued, “are really going backwards instead of forwards” by allowing Mrs. Clinton — a former first lady, senator and secretary of state — to emerge as their front-runner.
He said congressional Republicans should support their party’s candidates by proving they can govern.
“Move legislation, show that there is a difference in how you can grow this economy,” he said.
In that vein, Mr. McCarthy said the Republican agenda includes the completion of a fiscal 2016 budget by the end of the month, making the tax code fairer and simpler and — in a rare slice of bipartisan agreement — working with the White House and congressional Democrats on cybersecurity.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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