Amid House speaker vacancy, many in GOP want to do away with motion to vacate

ByAlexandra Hutzler, Lauren Peller, Rachel Scott, Benjamin Siegel, and John Parkinson
Last Updated: October 4, 2023, 5:12 PM EDT

The race is on to elect a new House speaker showdown following the historic ouster of Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday.

Two Republicans have officially thrown their hats into the ring ahead of the party hoping to choose a new leader next week.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news has developed. All times Eastern.
Oct 03, 2023, 4:53 PM EDT

The Republicans who voted to remove McCarthy

Eight Republicans voted to take away McCarthy's gavel.

In addition to Gaetz, who introduced the motion to vacate, the following Republicans voted to oust McCarthy: Reps. Andy Biggs of Arizona, Ken Buck of Colorado, Tim Burchett of Tennessee, Eli Crane of Arizona, Bob Good of Virginia, Nancy Mace of South Carolina and Matt Rosendale of Arizona.

Every Democrat present also supported the motion to vacate.

House votes to remove Kevin McCarthy as speaker.
House.gov

Oct 03, 2023, 4:47 PM EDT

House votes to remove McCarthy as speaker -- a historic first

In a 45-minute roll call vote, the House moved to oust McCarthy as speaker.

The final vote was 216 to 210 in favor of Gaetz's motion to vacate, with eight Republicans joining Democrats.

PHOTO: FILE - House Speaker Kevin McCarthy listens to a question as he talks to reporters in the U.S. Capitol after the House of Representatives passed a stopgap government funding bill to avert an immediate government shutdown
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy listens to a question as he talks to reporters in the U.S. Capitol after the House of Representatives passed a stopgap government funding bill to avert an immediate government shutdown, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Sept. 30, 2023.
Ken Cedeno/Reuters, FILE

"The office of speaker of the House of the United States House of Representatives is hereby declared vacant," said presiding officer Rep. Steve Womack.

It is the first time in U.S. history that the speaker of the House has been booted from the post, putting the chamber in unprecedented territory.

Oct 03, 2023, 4:41 PM EDT

Republican rebels appear to have the votes to remove McCarthy

Republican rebels appear to have enough votes to remove McCarthy as speaker, given that Democrats joined them, though the vote is ongoing.

Oct 03, 2023, 4:12 PM EDT

What happens if Gaetz wins -- and McCarthy loses?

The House would be in uncharted waters if McCarthy is removed as speaker: A motion to vacate has never been used successfully.

But the chamber wouldn't be as paralyzed and chaotic as it was in January amid McCarthy's five-day, 15-ballot vote to win the gavel.

As part of a rule change after 9/11 to support the continuity of government, the speaker is required to deliver to the House clerk an ordered list of members who can act as speaker pro tempore in the event of a vacancy.

The person at the top of McCarthy's list will serve as interim speaker until a new one is elected.

If the motion to vacate is successful, the chamber could go right to another speaker vote -- and McCarthy's allies could put him forward again to reclaim his post.

But unlike in January, it's possible that the House could take up other business in the meantime: The chamber has a rules package, and the speaker pro tempore would have the authority to act as speaker until a new one is elected.

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