Kevin McCarthy said he won't be attempt to regain the House Speaker position. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Every Democrat in the House voted with the eight Republicans led by Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz to oust California Republican Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House Tuesday.
The House is now at a complete standstill, with a Republican interim speaker pro tem, North Carolina’s Patrick McHenry, whose sole authorized responsibility in that position is to preside over the election of a new Speaker. As of Wednesday morning, no Republicans members of the House had indicated a willingness to seek the job. McCarthy declared Wednesday he would not try to regain the job.
House Democrats will be nominating their House leader, Hakeem Jeffries of New York, as speaker, but they would need at least five House Republicans to join with them for Jeffries to be elected.
Nevada Democratic Rep. Steven Horsford raised that scenario in a statement following the vote ousting McCarthy. “If the Republicans are not ready to govern,” Horsford said, “they can step aside and allow Democrats to elect Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker, and let us get to work on behalf of the American people.”
Enough Republicans crossing the aisle to allow that to happen is extremely unlikely.
Alternatively – and equally unlikely – if Gaetz and other hard-right Republicans refuse to support a Republican candidate for speaker, that Republican candidate would have to rely on getting votes from Democrats.
Here are the statements, in full, issued by Nevada’s Democratic members of the House Tuesday:
Rep. Steven Horsford: I take seriously my oath to our Constitution and my duty to my constituents to represent and work for the people. This is a solemn and sober moment for our country. I stand with my House colleagues to move us beyond this moment of chaos and dysfunction caused by extremist Republicans.
“I will continue to put people over politics, find common ground and deliver for all Nevadans and the people of this country.
“It’s time to move beyond extremism and draconian cuts that hurt working families and children and instead work together to find responsible solutions that move all Americans forward.
“The American people have had enough. If the Republicans are not ready to govern, they can step aside and allow Democrats to elect Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker, and let us get to work on behalf of the American people.”
Rep. Susie Lee: “Today is a sad day for our country. Washington Republicans have paralyzed Congress, putting their political bickering ahead of helping the American people.
“I’m focused on getting Congress back to work for Nevadans – lowering the costs of housing, child care, and basic necessities while raising wages, building a strong economy, and creating good-paying union jobs.
“Right now, House Republican infighting prevents us from working on any of that. Nevadans can’t afford to waste another day without a governing Congress.”
Rep. Dina Titus: “After careful consideration, I voted in favor of the motion to vacate the Speakership to help restore trust, integrity, and accountability to the House.”
Nevada Republican Rep. Mark Amodei, who had been a stalwart supporter of McCarthy, praised the ousted speaker in an interview with the Nevada Independent, saying McCarthy’s “not a bad guy.” Amodei was not optimistic about the leadership vacuum being filled any time soon, predicting upcoming party caucus meetings would be an “exercise in futility.”
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