Republicans control the chamber with a simple majority of 221 seats to 212, which means they cannot lose more than five votes if Democrats unite against them.
Eight representatives from the Republican Party voted in favor of the resolution:
- Rep: Andy Biggs of Arizona
- Representative: Ken Buck of Colorado
- Representative: Tim Burchett of Tennessee
- Representative: Eli Crane of Arizona
- Representative: Bob Good of Virginia
- Representative: Nancy Mace of South Carolina
- Rep: Matt Rosendahl of Montana
- Representative: Matt Gaetz of Florida
Immediately after the vote results were announced, a number of Republican representatives rushed to surround McCarthy, who put a smile on his face and exchanged hugs and handshakes with them.
Republican Representative from Oklahoma, Tom Cole, commented, saying: “The Republican Party has entered a state of chaos, and we must leave our options open to all possibilities.”
He added: We will vote again for Kevin McCarthy, and there is no alternative to him.
Republican Rep. Jane Keegans of Virginia called the decision “really frustrating for those who ran for Congress to get the country back on track.”
She added: “All the efforts we put into it could be derailed by a small group. It’s very frustrating.”
The Republican Party leadership warned the representatives of the hard-line wing against plunging the party “into chaos,” but Representative Matt Gaetz, who led the rebellion and repeatedly complained about McCarthy’s failure to respect agreements concluded with conservatives, responded by saying, “Chaos is Speaker McCarthy.”
Gaetz said after the vote, “The reason Kevin McCarthy fell today is because no one trusts Kevin McCarthy.”
He continued, “Kevin McCarthy made multiple contradictory promises, and when they all came true, he lost.”
Scott Perry, one of the eight Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy, said he did not have a name of who he wanted to see as House speaker.
He added, “We will see what happens now.” He said, “I will base my decisions on what happens.”
Government funding…the straw that broke McCarthy’s back
During a debate on the House floor, Gaetz and some of his allies criticized McCarthy for relying on Democratic votes to pass temporary funding that averted a partial government shutdown..
As for McCarthy’s supporters, including a number of prominent conservatives, they said that he succeeded in limiting spending and advancing other conservative priorities despite the Democrats’ control of the White House and the Senate. They warned that their gains would be at risk if they removed their leader.
McCarthy found no support from Democrats, despite speculation that some of them might vote for him to keep the chamber balanced.
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