Murdoch’s Grip on GOP: Media Mogul’s Endorsement Saves McCarthy from Challenger Greene

In a recent incident, Rupert Murdoch, the right-wing media mogul, demonstrated his significant influence within the Republican Party. During the controversy surrounding House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s decision to approve financial assistance to Ukraine, Murdoch’s media empire – which includes Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, and the New York Post – publicly endorsed McCarthy while mounting fierce attacks against his opponent, Marjorie Taylor Greene. The Post even went as far as to label her “Moscow Marjorie” on its front page. However, Murdoch’s support for McCarthy was not universally shared among hardline conservative media outlets like Tucker Carlson, Steve Bannon, Charlie Kirk, Breitbart, and The Gateway Pundit, who criticized McCarthy’s actions and termed him a traitor to the conservative cause. Despite these attacks, McCarthy managed to survive an effort by Greene to oust him from his position, thanks in part to the absence of support from former President Donald Trump and most Republican lawmakers. On Fox News, the network owned by Murdoch, McCarthy’s victory was met with relative indifference, failing to interrupt regular programming to broadcast the vote live as CNN and MSNBC did. This event highlighted the undeniable impact of Murdoch’s vast media empire on the internal dynamics of the Republican Party, with his influence continuing to hold sway despite some diminution in recent years. When compared to other conservative media voices, the outcome might have been different if Murdoch had opted to amplify the anti-McCarthy sentiment. This could have resulted in a much more considerable challenge to McCarthy’s leadership, potentially leading to his removal. Ultimately, Murdoch’s ability to protect McCarthy from Greene’s attempts to oust him further underscored the immense influence that Murdoch still holds over the Republican Party.