For the first time in the United States Congress, the speaker of the House has been ousted. On Tuesday afternoon, nine months to they date of beingn elected speaker, Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was voted out of office.
McCarthy was ousted in a 216-210 vote, with eight Republicans voting to remove him from the position.
Prior to the vote, in accordance to a reference guide used by the House of Representatives called “House Practice: A Guide to the Rules, Precedents and Procedures of the House.” McCarthy submitted a list of people to the House Clerk “in the orde in which each shall act as Speaker pro tempore in the case of a vacancy.”
McCarthy’s fate came after he stroke a deal with House Democrats this past Saturday in order to keep the government from being shutdown. Right-wing conservative Republicans were incensed at the deal.. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) on Monday called for a motion to vacate the speakership on Monday.
After the vote, the speaker’s vacancy became immediate. The clerk said the name that was listed first was Republican Rep. Patrick McHenry, who was appointed speaker pro tempore.
McHenry, 47, serves the 10th congressional district of North Carolina. He was first elected to Congress in 2004 when he was only 29-years-old. Former Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio once predicted that McHenry would one day become speaker.
Even though he would have been eligible to seek the speaker post again, on Tuesday evening, McCarthy removed his name from consideration for the position.
McHenry gaveled the House of Representatives in recess for one week on Tuesday evening.