Published October 8, 2015 1:07pm EDT | Updated October 8, 2015 2:07pm EDT

Kevin McCarthy Says He Did Not Want Vote For Speaker To Be Controversial

In a brief press conference, Rep. Kevin McCarthy said he did not want the vote for speaker of the House to be a controversial one, in explaining his surprise decision not to seek the nomination. The California Republican also added that his comments about Benghazi -- in which he linked the growing unpopularity of Hillary Clinton to the House committee investigating the former secretary of state's actions -- were "unhelpful" and played a role in his decision.