The narrow 216-210 vote in the House is the first time in American history that a Speaker of the House was forcibly vacated, rather than stepping down.
Majalla/Agencies
McCarthy’s expulsion from the Speaker seat exposes a deep political divide in the US Congress and the United States — particularly a growing cleavage between moderate and far-right Republicans.
In an unprecedented move, the US House of Representatives voted to ouster House Speaker McCarthy from his seat.
The narrow 216-210 vote in the House followed a last-minute deal struck by Speaker McCarthy to avert a government shutdown and is the first time in American history that a Speaker of the House was forcibly vacated rather than stepping down.
US Republican Representative from California Kevin McCarthy walks from the House Chamber after he was ousted as Speaker at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on October 3, 2023.
Emerging political divide
McCarthy’s expulsion from the Speaker seat further exposes a deep political divide in the US Congress and the United States —particularly a growing cleavage between moderate and far-right Republicans — that ultimately threatens consensus within the party over key issues.
McCarthy's expulsion from the Speaker seat further exposes a deep political divide in the US Congress and the United States —particularly a growing cleavage between moderate and far-right Republicans.
Since winning the vote for the Speaker seat in January, McCarthy faced steep opposition from opponents both within and outside the Republican Party. Even his ascension into the Speaker seat was controversial amongst far-right Republican representatives such as Rep. Matt Gaetz and Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Green.
At the same time, scepticism amongst Democratic lawmakers arose over McCarthy's wavering position over Trump's role in the January 6th Capitol Hill storming.
Due to a lack of consensus and even procedural manoeuvring amongst lawmakers like Rep. Gaetz to force additional ballots, McCarthy's seat took four days and 15 rounds of voting to decide amongst the 118th Congress.
A motion to vacate the chair of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and end McCarthy's continued leadership as Republican Speaker of the House passes by a vote of 216-210, in this frame grab taken from live C-SPAN.
Mounting criticism
In the following months, McCarthy's seat continued to spark criticism amongst House members, particularly far-right representatives, over across-the-aisle deals that were perceived to offer too many concessions to the Democratic Party.
One matter of contention was the June 2024 deal that Speaker McCarthy struck with Democrats and the Biden administration over suspending the debt ceiling until 2025—one that some members of the Republican Party perceived as too 'giving' on and federal spending.
McCarthy's seat continued to spark criticism amongst House members, particularly far-right representatives, over across-the-aisle deals that were perceived to offer too many concessions to the Democratic Party.
The final straw
However, the straw that broke the camel's back was McCarthy's recent scramble to avert a government shutdown, when lawmakers from both chambers of the US Congress could not reach a consensus over federal spending before the fiscal year began on 1 October.
Facing a potential shutdown where federal employees would experience furlough and unpaid hours for at least three weeks or more, McCarthy struck a temporary funding measure between both parties that, while averting a government shutdown, proved to be dissatisfactory for some lawmakers.
The temporary deal will last until 17 November and accounts for funding for natural disasters, but has been criticised by Democrats for omitting $24bn in US aid for Ukraine as requested by the Biden administration, while Republicans have disparaged the deals' lack of demands for steep spending cuts they demanded.
While the deal was unpopular, few lawmakers sought to ouster Speaker McCarthy other than Rep. Matt Gaetz. Rep. Gaetz had been a longtime critic of McCarthy's position as Speaker and threatened his role shortly after the vote on a short-term deal.
While doubts were raised on whether Gaetz would follow through with a campaign against McCarthy's seat, the Florida lawmaker made good on his threats when he forced a vote on a motion to vacate the Speakers' seat, ultimately resulting in McCarthy's ouster.
Former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) carries a box as he leaves the office of the Speaker of the House and heads out of the U.S. Capitol several hours after being ousted from the position of Speaker.
What next?
In McCarthy's wake comes burgeoning issues of political paralysis and infighting among lawmakers, particularly the Republican Party. The importance of the Speaker of the House when it comes to pushing legislation—especially in the United States' gridlocked political landscape—should not be dismissed.
In McCarthy's wake comes burgeoning issues of political paralysis and infighting among lawmakers, particularly the Republican Party. The importance of the Speaker of the House when it comes to pushing legislation—especially in the United States' gridlocked political landscape — should not be dismissed.
The Speaker of the House acts as the key mediator, source of guidance, agenda-setter, and broker for inter and intra-party disputes, key to advance legislation.
This combo picture shows McCarthy on the day he was elected and on the day he was ousted.
While there is a "pro tempore" Speaker of the House nominated by McCarthy, Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, who will temporarily take up his role until a new Speaker is voted into office, his ability to intervene and advance legislation to the floor is limited.
Additionally, McCarthy's long-term successor is uncertain.
Since the Speaker seat has been vacated, many candidates have stepped up to the plate. Representative Steve Scalise, Representatives Jim Jordan, Kevin Hern, and Tom Hemmer have all signalled they are in the running.
At the same time, Representatives Roy Nehls and Marjorie Taylor-Green have indicated intentions for nominating former President Donald J. Trump as a candidate for Speaker of the House (while historically, Speakers have been congressional representatives, it is technically possible for a non-elected official to take up the Speaker of the House seat).
Still, with the Republicans possessing only a four-seat advantage and continued divisive infighting, McCarthy's successor will have to bridge two growing political gaps: one between moderate and far-right conservatives and another between Republicans and Democrats.
The road to selecting the next Speaker of the House will likely be as decisive—if not more—as McCarthy's vote in January, exposing deepening cleavages and distrust within the American political landscape.
