THE US House of Representatives voted Tuesday to oust Kevin McCarthy as speaker – a historic moment that threatens to plunge House Republicans even further into chaos and turmoil.
The House will now need to elect a new speaker, but there is no clear alternative who would have the support needed to win the gavel. In the meantime, Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina is the interim speaker.
No House speaker has ever before been ousted through the passage of a resolution to remove them.
The fight over the speakership marks a major escalation in tensions for a House GOP conference that has been mired in infighting — and it comes just days after McCarthy successfully engineered a last-minute bipartisan effort to avert a government shutdown.
The result came after a nail-biting, but lengthy, roll call that required every member to put their choice on the record.
Some 216 members- including eight Republicans – voted to oust the Californian congressman from the Speaker’s chair.
Another 210 representatives – all Republicans – voted to retain McCarthy.
This is a huge victory for the rebellious faction of right-wing Republicans led by Matt Gaetz of Florida.
