This past October, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, was removed from his leadership position through a rarely used parliamentary procedure. The historic vote, with 216 in favor and 210 against (with seven Members abstaining), marked a seismic shift in the House’s dynamics, and came at a critical time in this country’s government.
McCarthy was removed from his Speaker position after a deal made with several Republican opposers in January 2023, after he failed to win the Speaker’s position that required 15 votes in a row. To appease some conservative Republicans who were opposing his leadership, McCarthy agreed to some of their demands. These demands included changing the House Rules, so that now a single Member can start a motion to remove the Speaker. This big change made individual Members more powerful and changed how things work in the House.
The tipping point triggering McCarthy’s removal was the passage of a ‘stop-gap’ funding measure known as a Continuing Resolution, which would prevent a government shutdown for 45 days. The move was met with controversy, in addition to this several allegations of an undisclosed agreement with the Administration to allocate funds for Ukraine were made, further fueling discontent among some House members. Following McCarthy’s removal, Republican Rep. Mike Johnson, a staunch ally of former President Donald Trump and an outspoken advocate for conservative ideals, was elected as the new House Speaker. After three unsuccessful attempts to select a leader over three weeks, Johnson’s election marked a shift in the House’s direction. Representing Louisiana’s 4th Congressional District, he brings with him a reputation as a ‘hard-liner’ and a strong voice in conservative circles, having first entered Congress in 2016 and now serving his fourth term.
This historic moment in our country has made a big impact on the House’s history. It shows how power, talks, and leadership changes in politics can be extremely complicated and throw the house, and our government, into disarray.
