From a story on axios.com headlined “Inside McCarthy’s fall”:
The House made history by voting to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy from his post, setting up another grueling speaker election without a clear successor.
No speaker before McCarthy had ever been removed.
Why it matters: The 216-210 vote could create an unprecedented stalemate in the House.
McCarthy’s election in January took the most ballots of any speaker election since before the Civil War. Since then, Republicans have struggled to maintain a functioning majority for moving legislation.
Zoom in: Conservative firebrand Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) introduced the motion to vacate yesterday, with eight Republicans joining him in his efforts to fire McCarthy.
Democrats opted against saving the speaker. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said it’s “now the responsibility of the GOP members to end the House Republican Civil War.”
Gaetz, who has long had a contentious relationship with McCarthy, threatened to introduce the motion for weeks if the California Republican allowed a continuing resolution to stop a government shutdown to come to the floor.
Gaetz argued McCarthy broke the terms of the agreement he struck with conservatives in January to obtain the gavel.
Only a handful of Republicans were needed to successfully remove McCarthy due to the GOP’s narrow majority.
Flashback: A motion to vacate has only been attempted one other time in the chamber’s history.
What’s next: House business will essentially come to a halt until Republicans gather enough votes to elect a speaker.
McCarthy told reporters today that he has no plans to step aside, signaling he might run again.
Other names floated include House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), and Reps. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), Kevin Hern (R-Okla.) and Mike Johnson (R-La.).
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