Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) offered a motion to vacate House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) on Monday, making good on weeks of threats to do so.
Gaetz’s motion came after McCarthy pushed forward a 45-day stop-gap bill over the weekend to avoid a government shutdown, with the Florida Republican accusing the speaker of making a “Ukraine deal with Democrats” to pass aid for the country at a later date. The motion on the floor of the House of Representatives on Monday evening sets up a battle in the Republican conference over McCarthy’s future as speaker of the House.
GAETZ ANNOUNCES MOTION TO VACATE, SETTING UP BATTLE OVER MCCARTHY’S LEADERSHIP
A motion to vacate only requires only five Republicans to succeed if all House Democrats vote to oust McCarthy. It is currently unclear how Democrats in the House will vote, but here are the House Republicans who have said they will support the motion to vacate McCarthy from the speakership:
- Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL)
- Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ)
- Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ)
- Rep. Bob Good (R-VA)
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Several Republicans have said they are still undecided on whether they will support vacating the speakership. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) said that his conscience is telling him to vote yes but that he will have to “pray about it.” Rep. Wes Hunt (R-TX) said he is keeping an “open mind,” while Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-IN) also says she is open to vacating the speakership.
McCarthy had to endure 15 rounds of voting during the speaker election in January after several right-wing members of the Republican conference refused to support the California Republican. The House speaker was defiant in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying, “Bring it on,” following Gaetz’s motion to vacate.
