Kevin McCarthy.Photo:AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
Republican Rep.Kevin McCarthyannounced on Wednesdaythat he will be resigning from Congress at the end of the year, just two months after being ousted as House speaker in an unprecedented rebuke from members of his own party.
Inan essay for theWall Street Journalrevealing his decision to retire after nearly 17 years in the House, McCarthy suggested that even after he leaves, he will continue his efforts to help recruit new candidates for office. “The Republican Party is expanding every day,” he wrote, “and I am committed to lending my experience to support the next generation of leaders.”
The longtime California lawmaker, who spent nine months as the nation’s third-highest-ranked government official, then seemingly slighted the U.S. political system, writing, “It often seems that the more Washington does, the worse America gets.”
Then-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy sits beside Vice President Kamala Harris while President Joe Biden delivers his 2023 State of the Union address.Drew Angerer/Getty
His removal as House speaker came after House Freedom Caucus memberMatt Gaetzfiled a “motion to vacate,” which automatically triggered a recall vote against McCarthy. Gaetz’s motion marked the first formal attempt to remove a House speaker in 113 years.
Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz speaks to reporters on Oct. 2, 2023, after announcing that he would be leading the charge to oust House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty
Shortly after Gaetz filed the motion to vacate, McCarthy told him to “bring it on"in an X post. Gaetz then re-posted McCarthy’s message,adding, “Just did.”
Stripping McCarthy of his leadership position only required a simple majority in the House, effectively putting his fate in the hands of Democrats, who sided with the far-right rebels in the end.
During McCarthy’s short speakership, he faced roadblock after roadblock as GOP infighting continually reached new heights.
When Republicans narrowlyregained the House majorityin January, the party was immediately divided on who to elect as House speaker. The majority party’s leader — at that time, McCarthy — is generally elected with ease, but far-right membersrefused to support him, resulting inthe first deadlocked House speaker election in more than a century.
Rather than step back and make way for a more unifying Republican leader to assume the role,McCarthy insisted on becoming speakerand began making concessions to right-wing holdouts in order to earn their support.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy speaks with reporters after a meeting of the House Republican Conference three days before his ousting.Nathan Howard/Getty
Nathan Howard/Getty
History repeated itself after McCarthy’s ouster, when the fractured House GOP was again at odds over who to elect as House speaker in his stead. Multiple candidates were nominated to replace McCarthy, each of whom failed to secure the necessary votes to win and was forced to withdraw from the race.
After weeks of congressional gridlock, Republicans' fourth choice for the role — little-known Louisiana Rep.Mike Johnson, distinguished as one of the House’sstaunchest religious conservatives— emerged as the unlikely unity candidate and became the 56th speaker of the House.
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McCarthy, a Bakersfield, California, native, joined Congress as a representative for the San Joaquin Valley in 2007. He quickly rose through the ranks of Republican House leadership, serving as chief deputy whip, then majority whip, then majority leader.
McCarthy replacedPaul Ryanas the head of the House Republican Conference in 2019, serving as House minority leader until 2023, when he succeededNancy Pelosias speaker.
source: people.com
