Who Is David Giglio? MAGA Challenger to Kevin McCarthy

Republican Representative Kevin McCarthy, the former speaker of the House, is facing a 2024 primary challenge by an outspoken adherent to the MAGA movement.

McCarthy was ousted as House speaker on October 3 after serving for fewer than nine months in the role, ushering in a chaotic three-week period that concluded with the election of new Speaker Mike Johnson last week. Shortly after losing the gavel, McCarthy said that he would be seeking another term representing California's 20th Congressional District.

David Giglio, a self-proclaimed "America First" Republican who owns and operates a sports card and memorabilia business, announced on Monday that he would challenge McCarthy in next year's GOP primary. Giglio previously ran a failed campaign in the 2022 GOP primary for California's 13th Congressional District.

Giglio slammed McCarthy as a member of the "corrupt uniparty" in a statement announcing his campaign. Giglio pledged to deliver "radical change" while praising former President Donald Trump and accused McCarthy of "capitulating to [President] Joe Biden and the radical Democrats."

"After years of being sold out to special interests, the people of the Central Valley deserve an America First Republican fighting for them in Washington and working alongside President Donald Trump to WAGE WAR against the corrupt uniparty!" Giglio said.

Giglio went on to laud the "brave" Republicans who joined with Democrats to vote in favor of removing McCarthy from the speakership earlier this month following Florida Representative Matt Gaetz's motion to vacate.

"Kevin McCarthy was removed as Speaker by 8 courageous members of his party for failing to keep to his promises and capitulating to Joe Biden and the radical Democrats," Said Giglio. "Kevin McCarthy must be defeated."

"Now more than ever, it is imperative that we replace career politicians and elect America First Republicans who will secure the southern border, stop the weaponization of government, drain the corrupt swamp, and annihilate permanent Washington," he added.

Newsweek reached out to the McCarthy campaign and McCarthy's office via email for comment.

McCarthy has long been in the crosshairs of many from the MAGA wing of the Republican Party, despite repeatedly professing his dedication to the former president.

Trump himself endorsed McCarthy's bid for the speakership in January, although he did little to fight his removal this month after the California congressman faced MAGA backlash over his deal with Democrats to temporarily fund the government and prevent a shutdown.

Giglio's campaign could be facing an uphill battle in attempting to unseat McCarthy, who has easily won reelection in the past and is known for an impressive record of raising large amounts of money from GOP donors.

Giglio, who worked as a high school history teacher before entering politics, will likely be banking on his appeal to the MAGA faithful in the primary, drawing on his own credentials as a devotee to Trump's movement.

Giglio has repeatedly praised Trump and his movement on social media while claiming that MAGA is a "moderate" form of conservatism.

"Whenever I hear the media or Democrats ranting about 'extreme #MAGA Republicans, I can't help but laugh because we are actually the 'moderate MAGA Republicans,'" Giglio wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter, in April. "But that's why the Dems & the media are so terrified. Populism appeals to blocs of voters Democrats believe they own."

"This is what leadership looks like," Giglio wrote on X in February while sharing a Donald Trump Jr. post about his father. "Trump was and will again be the People's President! #MAGA"

Giglio wrote in an X post on October 12: "[House Minority Leader] Hakeem [Jeffries] & the Democrats love 'traditional' Republicans b/c they have been using them as doormats for decades. They hate MAGA b/c we refuse to fold. Also, Democrats only talk about bipartisanship when they don't have power to trick weak Republicans into giving it to them."