(LibertySons.org) – Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) is no longer the speaker of the House after Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) made good on his threat to remove him if he relied on Democrats to avoid a government shutdown. The House voted 216 to 210 on the motion, with Democrats unanimously joining with Gaetz and seven other Republicans. McCarthy is the first House speaker ever to be forcibly removed from the position.
McCarthy expressed disappointment over the decision, telling The Blaze that he feared “the institution died today.” He stated that he would not seek the position again and would leave it up to the conference to choose his successor.
The role hasn’t been an easy one to fill, with the divide between the Right and the Left so large that finding a middle ground has been next to impossible on several issues. McCarthy tried to cater to both sides — with each feeling that he’d given a little too much to the opposition. Ultra-conservative Republicans weren’t impressed with his willingness to make deals with progressives, and Democrats took issue with the concessions he made for MAGA followers. Apparently, in his attempts to cater to everyone — and refusal to demonstrate his loyalty to the right people — he alienated himself from the majority of the House.
Not even former President Donald Trump, who once called the ousted speaker “my Kevin,” according to The Washington Post, was willing to step up in McCarthy’s defense. An anonymous source claimed that the MAGA leader might have been more vocal about saving the speaker’s position if McCarthy had been quicker to endorse Trump for president in 2024.
The House appointed Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC) to act as speaker pro tempore until members are able to elect McCarthy’s replacement. Republicans immediately met to discuss their plans moving forward, but the path ahead could be rocky. Their attempts to elect a speaker were difficult enough the first time around, only managing to win him in after 15 grueling rounds of voting.
~Here’s to Our Liberty!
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