Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has been thrown out. The resolution proposed by Rep. Matt Gaetz was passed this afternoon. The position of speaker was declared vacant and the House leadership declared the House adjourned, The vote was 216 to 210. This was the first time in the history of the U.S. that a vote to oust a speaker of the House has succeeded.
Extreme right-wing Republicans had been upset that McCarthy worked with Democrats to pass temporary funding to keep the government open. Gaetz filed his recall petition yesterday, just a day after the deal went into effect that keeps the government funded until Nov 17.
Gaetz suggested to reporters after the House vote that Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana would make a good speaker.
Within minutes of the vote the House was adjourned so that members of the Republican and Democratic parties could meet in separate groups and decide on what they would do next.
Some Democrats had sided with Republican critics of McCarthy and voted to remove him.
Rep. Patrick McHenry of North Carolina, a McCarthy loyalist, will temporarily lead the House.
