Kevin McCarthy campaign selling T-shirts with ‘moron’ printed on them

T-shirt follows various garments designed to defy Covid-19 public health messaging that do not flatter the wearer

House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy is selling his supporters T-shirts emblazoned with the word “moron” in a gesture of “patriotic” defiance – the latest in a series of clothing-related stunts by Republicans opposing mask mandates.

The shirt was created in response to a derogatory remark from Nancy Pelosi. Asked by a reporter what she thought of Mr McCarthy’s claim that the House of Representatives’ mask mandate was unscientific, she replied: “Such a moron.”

The T-shirt is an effort to take this remark and throw it back at Ms Pelosi and pro-mask Democrats (and others) who insist that wearing masks in accordance with CDC guidelines can help the US beat back a resurgence in Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations.

“Mor-on,” the shirt reads in dictionary style, “A term coined by Nancy Pelosi referring to freedom-loving Americans who oppose mask mandates.” But because the word “moron” is disproportionately large, some of the intended effect is lost, and not to the wearer’s benefit.

The shirt is not the first anti-mask item to draw unwanted ridicule, including in the House of Representatives. Shortly after the January insurrection at the US Capitol, extremist GOP Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene wore a mask reading “CENSORED” while she spoke into a microphone in the House chamber during a session broadcast on live TV.

Another far-right member of Congress, Madison Cawthorn, earlier this year sold masks emblazoned with the word “useless”, again to benefit his campaign fund. It is unclear how many were bought, but it is unclear who would want to wear a context-free face covering apparently proclaiming themselves “useless” in public.

Also peddling hubristic Covid-related garments is Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has become a dogged opponent of mandatory anti-Covid measures. As he bans local mask mandates and threatens to withhold the salaries of school boards that vote to impose them, Mr DeSantis is selling T-shirts and koozies reading “Don’t Fauci My Florida” and “How the hell am I going to be able to drink a beer with a mask on?”

Florida is seeing a major surge in Covid-19 infections, and its hospitals are reportedly under more pressure than at any point since the pandemic began.