Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said Republicans need to "figure out their problem-solving and select a leader."
McCarthy made the comments shortly after Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., the No. 2 Republican in the House, withdrew from the speakership race after failing to generate the votes to win the gavel. He was nominated by the conference Wednesday.
He stood by his decision to pass the stopgap bill that kept the government open, which led to his ouster days later.
“I’ll say to this day, what I did was 100% right, keeping government open. Can you imagine for one moment, the wars that are going around the world and if government were shut down?” McCarthy said.
"I just think the conference as a whole has to figure out their problem-solving and select a leader," McCarthy told reporters.
It was McCarthy's ouster by a group of eight Republicans two weeks ago that led to Scalise's failed bid to replace him.
“What’s validating to me is how do you allow 4 percent of the conference do this to the entire country? Why would all the Democrats join with eight members?” McCarthy said.