The shocking decision to allow any member to put forth a motion to vacate was taken by Rep. Kevin McCarthy (D-CA) when he became speaker of the House. This ultimately cost him his job as speaker of the House, making him unique in American history. Then, in a lengthy press conference, he admitted defeat.
McCarthy’s pact with Democrats on September 30 to keep the government funded for 45 days marked the beginning of the story. His party’s hardliners wanted a shutdown and were angry when he collaborated with the Left to pass a clean continuing resolution to keep the government operating. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) introduced a move to resign a few days later.
Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), the minority leader, said on October 3 that Democrats would not be voting to save the speaker. Hours later, the House voted overwhelmingly in favor of the motion to vacate, and McCarthy entered the annals of political legend. After meeting behind closed doors with conservative Republicans, the California congressman said he will “not run for speaker again.” The Republican conference, he predicted, would “pick somebody else.”
When asked by a reporter whether he planned to stay in Congress, McCarthy replied, “I’ll look at that.”
Current Speaker Pro Tempore is Republican North Carolina Representative Patrick McHenry. He will stay in office until the House elects a new speaker. Republican Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana has declared his candidacy for the speakership. Right now, he is the highest-ranking Republican in the House’s second-highest committee.
It is with a strong sense of responsibility and purpose that I seek the House Republican Conference’s nomination for Speaker of the House.
— Steve Scalise (@SteveScalise) October 4, 2023
Read my letter to my colleagues: pic.twitter.com/G6YDd2SjCD
Before becoming majority leader, Scalise served as majority whip. He is well-known for being among the Conservatives shot at during a baseball practice in 2017. There was a fight for the lawmaker’s life after he was shot. He got better and kept on serving in Congress despite his injuries.
Ohio Republican and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan is also running for speaker.
