In January, Kevin McCarthy took more than 10 rounds of voting to become House speaker even after an endorsement from former President Donald Trump… but now McCarthy is doubting Trump’s electoral prospects.

During a Tuesday appearance on CNBC, McCarthy appeared uncertain about Trump’s ability to win the 2024 election.

“The question is: Is he the strongest to win the election? I don’t know that answer,” McCarthy said on CNBC.

Trump is leading polls of Republican primary voters, but in the same polls, he’s also trailing incumbent President Joe Biden.

By contrast, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is polling as a distant second in the GOP primaries, but DeSantis and Biden are in a dead heat according to polls of the general election.

CNBC called McCarthy’s remarks “a rare lapse in McCarthy’s usually firm posture of support for Trump.”

McCarthy also clarified his stance on Trump’s electoral prospects… and Trump’s desirability as a president.

“Can he win that election? Yeah, he can,” McCarthy said. “But can anybody beat Biden? Yeah, anybody can beat Biden. Can Biden beat other people? Yes, Biden can beat them. It’s on any given day.”

McCarthy bemoaned the “complicated” state of the presidential race after Trump’s two indictments, but he also expressed support for Trump’s platform.

“Trump’s policies are better, straightforward, than Biden’s,” McCarthy said. “It’s good for America.”

Take a look —

The Horn editorial team