In a move reflecting deepening rifts within the Republican Party, former U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced he will resign from Congress at year's end. This move has sparked widespread concern within the GOP about their internal struggles affecting governance.
Announcing his decision in a Wall Street Journal column, McCarthy's exit comes amid Congress's efforts to tackle vital legislation, including the fiscal 2024 spending bills necessary by January 19 to avoid a government shutdown. "I have decided to depart the House at the end of this year to serve America in new ways," McCarthy, 58, expressed, voicing his discontent with the operations in Washington: "It often seems that the more Washington does, the worse America gets."
Filling McCarthy's shoes is a daunting task for his successor, Speaker Mike Johnson, whose lack of extensive leadership experience and Christian conservative views have already been a point of contention. Johnson rose to power amidst prolonged internal disputes within the Republican Party, indicating significant divisions.
McCarthy, who has been instrumental in the GOP's recent success, including reclaiming the House majority in 2022, leaves a significant gap in the party. His exit from a securely Republican district in California further reduces the already narrow GOP majority in the House, necessitating a special election as per California law within 126 to 140 days once called by the governor.
Reflecting on McCarthy's departure, Representative Mike Simpson, a long-standing Republican, noted, "It absolutely underscores the difficulty of governing the Republican majority." Simpson highlighted the crucial role played by a small group of hardline Republicans, who allied with Democrats to dethrone McCarthy.
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| Former U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy File Photo |
McCarthy's tenure as Speaker was fraught with challenges, notably his strained relations with the party's hardliners. He faced 15 challenging floor votes before securing his position last January, only to be voted out in October after endorsing a bipartisan spending bill to prevent a government shutdown, a move that angered hardline factions and led to his removal.
Representative Ken Buck, a pivotal figure in the campaign against McCarthy, viewed the resignation as beneficial for McCarthy and his family without expressing regret for his role in the ousting.
The appointment of Johnson as McCarthy's replacement followed a period of intense infighting among Republicans, with several experienced candidates being considered and subsequently rejected. McCarthy's agreement with President Joe Biden on debt and spending limits particularly antagonized the hardliners.
McCarthy's exit marks him as the third Republican Speaker, following John Boehner and Paul Ryan, to exit Congress amid disputes with what some see as the party's hard right wing. His overwhelming reelection victory in 2022 in a non-competitive district underscores GOP leadership's mounting challenges in managing a divided and often contentious majority.