Kevin McCarthy 'Shoves' Republican Colleague, Sparking Chase

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy appeared to shove and elbow one of his GOP colleagues on Tuesday afternoon, prompting a hallway chase in the chamber, according to a social media report.

Claudia Grisales, an NPR congressional correspondent, detailed the incident on X (formerly Twitter), where she said she was speaking with Representative Tim Burchett when the former House speaker "walked by with his detail and McCarthy shoved Burchett."

"Burchett lunged towards me. I thought it was a joke, it was not. And a chase ensued," Grisales wrote. The Tennessee Republican then followed McCarthy down a hallway and began yelling at him, asking why he hit him, according to Grisales.

McCarthy replied, "I didn't elbow you in the back," Grisales reported, prompting Burchett to say, "You got no guts, you did so...the reporter said it right there. What kind of chicken move is that? You're pathetic, man, you are so pathetic."

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy leaves a House Republican Conference meeting on October 24. A confrontation between McCarthy and GOP Representative Tim Burchett turned physical, according to a social media post by an NPR reporter. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

In October, Burchett was one of eight Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy as speaker. Representative Matt Gaetz led the motion and, in addition to Burchett, was joined by Representatives Andy Biggs, Ken Buck, Nancy Mace, Bob Good, Eli Crane and Matt Rosendale.

Burchett's press secretary told Newsweek that the congressman was "elbowed" by McCarthy. "He's a bully with $17 million and a security detail," Burchett said, according to the press secretary.

Newsweek reached out to McCarthy via email for comment.

In another post, Grisales wrote: "Burchett tells me that's the first point of 'communication' with McCarthy since Burchett voted for McCarthy's ouster as speaker last month: 'That's just it' for communication since ouster vote, 'He's just a jerk. He's just a childish little...'"

Speaking to CNN about the incident, Burchett said he was caught off guard by the elbow blow "because it was a clean shot to the kidneys."

"I raised my voice to him. I thought it was appropriate and you just don't expect a guy who was a one-time three steps away from the White House to hit you with a sucker punch in the hallway," Burchett told the network. "There's 435 congressmen, I was one of the eight that voted against him. That hallway, there was plenty of room...he chose to do what he did."

The altercation quickly brought reactions on social media. @MuellerSheWrote said: "They're children."

Reporter Jacob Rubashkin wrote, "Burchett voted to oust McCarthy and now apparently McCarthy physically accosted the Tennessee Republican in a Capitol Hill hallway. Or maybe McCarthy was just standing up for the honor of those who wear black socks with short pants."