On Tuesday, Republican Kevin McCarthy was ousted as Speaker of the US House of Representatives, making him the first leader in the history of the lower chamber of Congress to be removed from office.
In a 216-210 roll call vote, the House approved a “motion to vacate” McCarthy’s position as speaker. Eight Republicans voted against their party’s leader, siding with 208 Democrats, thereby removing him.
Kevin McCarthy has been removed as House Speaker, a first in U.S. history. Stillness fell as the presiding officer gaveled the vote closed, 216-210, saying the office of the speaker “is hereby declared vacant.” pic.twitter.com/ZDPowwBfbu
— The Associated Press (@AP) October 3, 2023
McCarthy Removed as Speaker
Representative Matt Gaetz, a Republican from Florida, led the motion. As per the reports, 8 Republicans supported the resolution, expressing anger at McCarthy for cooperating with Democrats to avert a government shutdown.
McCarthy required a simple majority of voting members to maintain his gavel but failed to secure his position.
Congressman Steve Womack, the Arkansas Republican who presided over the session, stated, “The resolution is adopted.” “The office of speaker of the House of the United States House of Representatives is hereby declared vacant,” he remarked.
Following the announcement, McCarthy appointed Republican congressman Patrick McHenry of North Carolina as “Speaker pro tempore” until a new House leader was elected.
McHenry suggested that it would be “prudent” for the House to go into recess so that Democratic and Republican members may meet separately and “discuss the path forward.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden believed the House would “quickly elect” a new speaker. “The American people deserve leadership that puts the issues affecting their lives front and centre,” she declared.
Reasons For McCarthy’s Removal
One of the major reasons, as per the reports, is that McCarthy’s weekend agreement with Democrats resulted in a bipartisan vote to finance the government at current levels until mid-November, when many Republicans had called for budget cuts.
Republicans attempted to pass legislation that would have imposed severe cutbacks of up to 30% on various social programmes.
McCarthy defended the agreement to reporters on Capitol Hill before Tuesday’s vote, saying, “Keeping the government open and paying our troops was the right decision. I stand by that decision. At the end of the day, if I have to lose my job over it, so be it.”
Furthermore, McCarthy’s removal was already put in motion in many ways when, at the beginning of the year, he consented to a series of demands, including a rule change that permitted any legislator to file a motion to vacate.
I will not seek to run again for Speaker of the House. I may have lost a vote today, but I fought for what I believe in—and I believe in America. It has been an honor to serve. https://t.co/4EMpOuwtzy
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) October 3, 2023
McCarthy’s Statement
McCarthy told reporters Tuesday night that he would not run for speaker again, adding, “I wouldn’t change a thing.” “I leave the speakership with a sense of pride and accomplishment. And yes, optimism.”
He went on to quote former US President Teddy Roosevelt about the man who “fails while daring greatly.”
“I fought for what I believe in,” McCarthy stated. “I believe I can continue to fight, but maybe in a different manner.”
McCarthy said Gaetz was carrying out a personal vendetta. “Matt Gaetz had planned to do this from the beginning,” the former Speaker indicated to media sources before the vote. “He has got personal things in his life that he has challenges with, that’s fine.”
Consequently, McCarthy disregarded the eight Republicans who voted against him, stating, “This country is too great for small visions of those eight,” and referring to them as “individuals” who were not “looking to be productive.”
What Next?
McHenry’s first order of business would be to elect a new speaker. The leaders of both parties, Republicans and Democrats, must decide when they are ready to start the process of electing a speaker.
In the meantime, all other House business will be put on hold. One impending deadline is that the government will shut down in mid-November after a temporary financing package passed by Congress over the weekend expires.
Republicans indicated they would meet on 10 October to discuss potential McCarthy successors, with a vote on a new speaker scheduled for 11 October.