Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) is taking heat for a label he applied to some of his colleagues who are preventing House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from becoming speaker.
Speaking to conservative commentator Guy Benson on Wednesday, Crenshaw said, “Whether it’s Boehner, or Paul Ryan, or McCarthy, Scalise would just be next, and we all know it. We just can’t allow that to happen.”
“That’s why those of us are saying like look, you pushed us into this corner, so now we’re saying we won’t vote for anyone but McCarthy. That’s why we’re saying it because we cannot let the terrorists win,” he added.
Rep. Dan Crenshaw on the 20 Republicans who oppose McCarthy:
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) January 4, 2023
"We cannot let the terrorists win." pic.twitter.com/toZlSdikpk
Fox News’ Tucker Carlson blasted Crenshaw’s comments, as he said, “You may like Kevin McCarthy, or not. Both are allowed. But no matter how you feel, you have to acknowledge, if you’re being honest, that people who don’t like Kevin McCarthy have a reason for that. They have real concerns, real issues.”
“But you’ll notice that Dan Crenshaw didn’t address any of those — none of them. Instead, he impugned their motive, their character, their intelligence, their moral standing. They’re narcissists. In fact, and we’re quoting, they’re ‘enemies’ now,” he added.
Tucker on Dan Crenshaw's "terrorists" comment: "Over the past few years pretty much every part of the war on terror has been turned against the domestic political enemies of the neocons. What you just saw is the snarling face of the donor class." pic.twitter.com/Ygd5ptmjcD
— American Firebrand (@AmFirebrand) January 5, 2023
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), one of McCarthy’s opponents, tweeted, “Crenshaw has now convinced himself that those who do not support McCarthy are ‘terrorists.'”
Crenshaw has now convinced himself that those who do not support McCarthy are "terrorists." https://t.co/q4bxnlmQoX
— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) January 4, 2023
Check out some of the reactions below:
Did Dan Crenshaw just call the 20 Republicans who have refused to back Kevin McCarthy “terrorists”?
— Isabella Maria DeLuca (@IsabellaMDeLuca) January 4, 2023
I’m sorry to inform you that Dan Crenshaw now views his fellow House members as terrorists – which means he’ll probably try to arm them in an illegal proxy war after putting them on the CIA payroll! https://t.co/uEVBaaa2I1
— Emerald Robinson ✝️ (@EmeraldRobinson) January 4, 2023
.@RepDanCrenshaw thinks because he has an eye patch he can refer to 20 of his Republican colleagues as terrorists.
— Michael J. Morrison (@OfficeOfMike) January 4, 2023
Military industrial complex mascot Dan Crenshaw doesn’t have the best record when it comes to defeating “terrorists” https://t.co/0NXK1mv1rY
— Kingsley Wilson (@KingsleyCortes) January 4, 2023
Crenshaw later reacted to the outrage in a tweet, “Unclutch your pearls. It’s a figure of speech. You can’t insult, slander, and hold everyone hostage with no way out – and not expect me to punch back.”
“Grow thicker skin,” he added.
Unclutch your pearls. It’s a figure of speech. You can’t insult, slander, and hold everyone hostage with no way out – and not expect me to punch back.
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) January 5, 2023
Grow thicker skin. https://t.co/gmwDmfCney
The term “terrorist” can be a loaded word. But, Crenshaw’s point is, the overwhelming majority of House Republicans are being denied their pick for speaker by a group, made up of 10% of the conference, which is dug in and cannot vocalize what or who could definitively end the standoff.
Crenshaw expressed concerns the 20 Republicans would not be satisfied even if McCarthy withdrew his name and would continue to reject other candidates.
It must be frustrating to be heading into the third day of voting for a speaker with no clear endpoint. Meanwhile, the House is unable to take care of any business. It is stuck in a doom loop of voting for the foreseeable future.
Even if you think gridlock and not passing spending bills and other legislation is good, the lack of a speaker means the House cannot even perform its oversight function. So investigations in the withdrawal from Afghanistan, COVID-19, allegations government officials worked with Twitter to manipulate the 2020 election, and Hunter Biden cannot move forward.
And while the House is frozen, the clock is counting down to the next election when Democrats could win control of the House again by picking up just a handful of seats.
So were his comments a little inflammatory? Sure. But the response has also been blown out of proportion.