Gingrich Blasts ‘Stupid’ Anti-McCarthy Republicans: ‘These People Can’t Play Tic-Tac-Toe’

Fox News contributor and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R-GA) railed against Republicans in Congress who voted against Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) speakership bid.

McCarthy failed to gain the necessary 218 votes on three consecutive ballots on Tuesday as enough Republicans voted for other members. It was an inauspicious beginning to the 118th Congress, where Republicans narrowly control the House 222-212.

McCarthy gave several concessions to GOP holdouts ahead of Tuesday’s votes, but those have yet to placate the naysayers.

Appearing on Fox Business Network on Tuesday, Gingrich ripped the anti-McCarthy faction.

“I think they have no endgame,” Gingrich told host Larry Kudlow. “These people can’t play tic-tac-toe. And I think that’s part of the problem. They’ve gotten themselves–they’re like the dog that caught the bus.”

Gingrich said McCarthy was approached with an unreasonable list of demands.

“I think it’s very important to recognize that this is not a game,” he continued. “I am told by a pretty good source that last night several of these folks went in to see Kevin, and they had a whole new list of 30 items, some of which were frankly pretty embarrassingly venal.”

Gingrich predicted that McCarthy will prevail if he waits out his detractors in the House. Kudlow agreed.

“I believe it’s gonna work out ok,” Kudlow said. “Whereas before this, it was a small thing, now it is a gigantic thing.”

Gingrich urged viewers with anti-McCarthy representatives to call their offices and urge them to vote for McCarthy.

“I would appeal to everybody watching,” he said. “If you’re in the district of one of these so-called rebels, pick up the phone and call their office. I mean, what they’re doing is so destructive and candidly, so stupid. They have no endgame. They haven’t thought through what they’re doing and they’re throwing the equivalent of a temper tantrum.”

Watch above via Fox Business Network.