GOP leader: Dems ‘going backwards’ with Hillary

Hillary Clinton’s entrance into the 2016 presidential contest shows that Democrats are “going backwards instead of forward,” House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Monday.

“I look at the Democrats. They had somebody just announce yesterday,” McCarthy told reporters, without invoking the name of the former secretary of State. “She’s done that before. It didn’t turn out well for her last time.”

“They’re really going backwards instead of forward,” he added.

With GOP presidential candidates jumping into the race seemingly every week — Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) launched his campaign on Monday — McCarthy said the “field for Republicans has done nothing but gotten stronger.” But he declined to endorse any particular White House hopeful.

“I think, with so many of the candidates who are announcing or are soon to announce, we’re going to have a great debate of ideas,” McCarthy said.

Asked if the Republican-controlled House and Senate will have a role in bolstering 2016 GOP candidates, McCarthy said Congress needs to “show we can govern, move legislation and show that there is a difference in how you can grow this economy.

“Anytime you set a vision, I think it’s always stronger than looking in the past,” he said.