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Despite Texas Republicans coming together to support U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s leadership, their efforts fell short in saving him from making history as the first leader of the chamber to be removed from his position.
The challenge paralleled the troubled election for McCarthy to become speaker in January — historic in its own right because it took 15 tries to get there. At the time, a handful of Texans led the charge to challenge McCarthy’s bid. But this time, the state’s delegation stayed true to their party leaders, with all 23 Texas Republicans who were present voting to save McCarthy and all 13 House Democrats voting to remove him.
After the voting, McCarthy was removed from his position with a 216-210 vote in the House, as eight Republicans united with the Democrats.
U.S. Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock, was absent Tuesday. He’s missed a number of key votes in recent days due to health reasons. U.S. Rep. Lance Gooden, R-Terrell, also missed the vote.
The House is anticipated to proceed with the election of a new speaker in the absence of one. Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-North Carolina, will assume the role of speaker pro tempore to ensure that the House’s rules and functions remain unaffected. The selection of the speaker pro tempore was made by McCarthy from a confidential list for national security reasons, which will only be disclosed upon the speaker’s vacancy.
The current focus in the House revolves around determining the next speaker and whether McCarthy will attempt to reclaim his position. Despite strong opposition from Democrats, Representative Vicente Gonzalez, a centrist Democrat from McAllen, expressed willingness to consider a moderate Republican or someone who is “at least normal enough to effectively lead their caucus and accomplish the tasks at hand.” Gonzalez suggested McHenry and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pennsylvania, as potential candidates.
“In a text message, Gonzalez stated, ‘I’m prepared to negotiate, but it comes with a cost!'”
Florida Republican U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz, who has consistently shown his disapproval of McCarthy, initiated the effort to oust the Republican leader on Monday. This move came after McCarthy collaborated with Democrats to pass a bipartisan bill that temporarily funded the government. The funding bill, referred to as a continuing resolution, only ensured government funding until the middle of the following month. It disregarded several conservative policy objectives that Republicans were hoping to advance by utilizing the funding deadline as a means of political leverage.
McCarthy only passed the bipartisan continuing resolution after a far more conservative version, negotiated by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin, failed in the House, with a handful of far-right members including Gaetz voting against it.
Despite previously criticizing McCarthy during the January speaker fight, Roy now conveyed his opposition to removing McCarthy before the vote. He emphasized the significance of completing the passage of legislation to secure government funding for the remainder of the fiscal year.
On social media, Roy expressed his opposition to the motion, citing his disagreement with the decision to replace the coach at the start of the fourth quarter, a position he maintains even at our current stage.
Roy expressed some understanding for those moving to oust McCarthy, but not everyone was so understanding. Freshman Rep. Nathaniel Moran, R-Tyler, called the move to remove McCarthy the result of “personal vendettas.”
Rep. Jodey Arrington, the Lubbock Republican who chairs the House Budget Committee, said on social media there’s “plenty of blame to go around for our recent government funding failures,” but that the stakes were too high to change leadership now.
McCarthy has been haunted by the motion to vacate ever since he assumed the role of speaker amidst a chaotic selection process in January. Granting the ability for a lone member to initiate this motion was one of the final compromises McCarthy made to appease the far-right individuals who vehemently opposed his candidacy for speaker.
U.S. Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Houston, blasted the motion to vacate as a waste of time that will make Democrats “look more united to the American people.”
“Some in the GOP would rather focus on infighting and grabbing headlines instead of doing their jobs. That’s no way to win elections or the confidence of the American people,” Crenshaw posted on social media.
In January, Crenshaw expressed his unease with certain far-right requests during the speaker race, particularly the provision that allowed a single member to initiate the removal of the speaker. He cautioned back then about the potential scenario that Republicans are now facing this week – the possibility of Democrats employing these measures to eliminate one of their key political adversaries.
After it became evident this week that sufficient Republicans were in favor of ousting McCarthy, Democrats played a crucial role in McCarthy’s strategy to retain his position of power. On Tuesday morning, the two parties convened in closed-door meetings to unite and determine their respective courses of action.
The Democratic Caucus met in particularly closed quarters, with phones and support staff forbidden, where they deliberated on a strategy. Over a hot breakfast, Democrats expressed frustration and disdain with McCarthy, whom they cast as inherently unreliable after conceding to far-right Republicans like Gaetz in launching an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden and lowering spending beneath levels agreed to between McCarthy and the White House.
Earlier, certain Democrats voiced their worries regarding the potential consequences faced by McCarthy for collaborating with their party to pass the continuing resolution, ensuring government funding. Suggestions were made by members to either motion to table the discussion or vote present.
Coming out of the caucus meeting Tuesday morning, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Laredo centrist Democrat, said members were still keeping their powder dry and would wait to take their cues from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York.
However, as the caucus meeting on Tuesday came to a close, it became evident that Democrats were unwilling to support McCarthy. Following the meeting, Jeffries promptly circulated a letter to the caucus, highlighting numerous Democratic concerns about McCarthy and urging members to vote for his removal.
U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, said the overwhelming sense in the caucus was that McCarthy was “untrustworthy” and had reneged on his agreements.
Castro remarked that it is challenging to negotiate a fair agreement with someone of that nature.
