Last Tuesday, October 4, American History was made as, for the first time ever, Kevin McCarthy (R – CA) was subject to a successful motion to vacate the chair of Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. The motion was made by Matt Gaetz (R – FL), a strong and vocal opponent of McCarthy’s, and was backed by seven of his House Republican colleagues, all of whom, including Gaetz, fall on the far-right side of the political spectrum, away from the moderates of their conference which now include McCarthy.
Prior to last November, the 2022 Midterm Elections, Kevin McCarthy was still seen as a Trump-supporting Republican who depended on the former president’s influence in the party to gain a majority of seats in the House. However, in the eyes of many unaffiliated voters and moderate Republicans, using Trump was becoming an old metric because of his record of making false election claims. While he succeeded in obtaining a majority for his party, it was razor thin and the top House Republican had to change his ways if he was to have any chance at being supported by the majority of his caucus for the Speakership.
Come January, Kevin McCarthy had support of all his party except for twenty House “ultra-conservatives” who stood against McCarthy in support of pretty much anyone else, including Donald Trump. After fifteen ballots, Kevin McCarthy finally gained hold of the gavel he has stared at for the past sixteen years in the hands of Pelosi, Boehner, and Ryan.
But in order to yield the gavel in one hand, he had to give away the authority and mandate he would have held in the other. McCarthy traded rules for votes allowing his far-right colleagues to dictate some of the regulations and establishments for the 118th Congress including a rule lowering the number of GOP Conference members needed to act on a “motion to vacate” which removes the Speaker of the House from his office. From that day on, McCarthy had a gun to his head, and he knew it was only a matter of time before Matt Gaetz pulled the trigger.
Each September, the issue facing a government with its executive and legislative branches split between parties is the budget for the following fiscal year which begins on October 1. On September 30 at midnight, if no budget or extension has been adopted and enacted, the government shuts down with conditions dependent on the shutdown and money available. For example, National Parks workers may be sent home while TSA agents may work without pay or with very little. This year, the government was in that very position and was sure to be shut down as no compromises were being made until Kevin McCarthy agreed to work with the Democrats to pass a 45-day extension, giving them more time to discuss the matter. McCarthy’s Republican opponents were infuriated and made the notion of using the tool McCarthy put in their belt in January.
As rumors spread and whips counted on the Republican side of the aisle, talk arose about how the Democrats would vote: whether or not they would save McCarthy’s career. Hakeem Jeffries (D – NY), the House Minority Leader, said that Democrats believe McCarthy did the wrong thing by catering to the “ultra-conservatives” in his party and should have used his authority as a party leader to unite his conference rather than give away anything to be elected Speaker. Jeffries did recognize, however, that the Speaker Emerita, Nancy Pelosi (D – CA) had previously made promises to Speakers Boehner and Ryan that she would stand with them in a vote of no confidence like the one made against McCarthy. Even McCarthy knew, however, that his negative attitude towards the Democrats, especially Nancy Pelosi, over the past few years, even as Speaker, justified their decision to stand against him.
When it came time for the final vote, 210 Republicans stood with their leader while 208 Democrats along with eight far-right Republicans voted “yea” on the “motion to vacate” the Speaker’s chair. (9 House Members were absent on Tuesday including Nancy Pelosi who was attending services for the late California Senator Dianne Feinstein).
Immediately after, Representative Patrick McHenry (R – NC) was placed in the role of Speaker Pro Tempore to serve with limited powers for the interim during which a new Speaker will be elected. That election is expected to take place this week with potential candidates like Steve Scalise (R – LA), House Majority Leader, and Jim Jordan (R – OH), House Judiciary Committee Chair.
At the end of Tuesday’s session, McHenry, a staunch supporter of McCarthy slammed the Speaker’s gavel in anger on Tuesday after adjourning the House session, infuriated by the divide in his party leading to the ousting of his friend as not only the face of the Republican House Conference, but also the top Republican in Washington right now. McHenry’s dramatic action with the Speaker embodies the emotions felt by many Republicans right now as 2024 Presidential Primaries are off and running and their top contender and former president is facing indictment after indictment across the east coast. The divide between the Republican Party makes it more vulnerable the longer it remains. But McHenry’s gavel swing also serves as a caveat to any House member with the Speakership in sight: it may take one, two, or even fifteen ballots to make you Speaker, but no matter how many it took to put you there, only one is needed to take you out.