Amid House speaker drama, many in GOP want to do away with motion to vacate
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.
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As debate begins ahead of vote, Rep. Good outlines his case against McCarthy
Debate began Tuesday afternoon on the motion to vacate ahead of the vote on it. Gaetz ceded the floor to Virginia Republican Rep. Bob Good.
"Like so many others, I deeply regret that we are here in a totally avoidable situation," Good said as he began his remarks, which largely targeted McCarthy's actions on spending to date. "I must take you back to January, however, which for many of us was about not repeating the failures of the past and letting Republican voters across the country down once again."
Good continued, "Back in January, I expressed my concern that the previous two years during my first term here in this House, we had not used every tool at our disposal to fight against the harmful, radical, Democratic agenda that is destroying the country, bankrupting the country and under which the American people are suffering."
Republicans fail to block motion to vacate
The motion to table Gaetz's own motion to vacate -- which would have effectively killed his request before it received a vote -- has failed, 208-218.
Eleven Republicans joined all Democrats in voting it down -- setting up a key vote on the motion to vacate.
The failure of the motion to table suggests McCarthy's speakership is in real jeopardy as he would need a majority of support of the chamber to back him in order to keep his role.
A vote on the motion to vacate is expected shortly. After the vote, McCarthy slumped in his chair in the second row.
-ABC News' Adam Carlson
McCarthy's fate: ANALYSIS
From the moment McCarthy was elected speaker, it was clear that his ability to keep that job could depend on Democrats.
To get elected on that 15th ballot in January, McCarthy had to agree to a series of rules that made him a profoundly weak speaker -- including the provision allowing a single member of the House to call for a vote to oust him (the now-famous "motion to vacate"). But while it takes just one member to call for such a vote, it requires a majority to actually remove the speaker.
McCarthy could survive a rebellion from a handful of renegade Republicans -- but he could not survive such a rebellion if Democrats go along with it.
Gaetz has said he expected Democrats to save McCarthy. Many others did too.
As recently as Tuesday morning, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries suggested a way out of this for McCarthy. In an interview on MSNBC, he said House rules should be changed so that a single member could not force a vote on removing the speaker. Jeffries could deliver the votes to save McCarthy's job and the votes to change the rules to make it impossible for Gaetz to pull off a stunt like this again.
But Democrats would have a price for doing that. What would McCarthy offer in return? An end to the impeachment inquiry in President Joe Biden and his family? A guarantee that McCarthy honors the deal he struck on spending with the White House? Power sharing?
McCarthy has developed a cordial relationship with Jeffries, but he signaled no willingness to give Democrats anything in exchange for keeping the job.
In fact, McCarthy's actions have made it virtually impossible for Jeffries to throw him a lifeline. The speaker unilaterally launched the impeachment inquiry and just Saturday infuriated Jeffries by attempting to jam Democrats on a bill to keep the government funded for 45 days.
Back in January -- and again last month on impeachment -- McCarthy showed he was willing to do almost anything to appease his right-wing critics to get and keep his job. That worked for a while -- but it has made it virtually impossible to get Democrats to save him now.
-ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl
House voting on motion to table Gaetz's call to remove McCarthy
McCarthy ally Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., introduced a motion to table -- or effectively kill -- Gaetz's effort to oust McCarthy.
Democrats then requested a voice vote on the motion, which is ongoing. It is a 15-minute vote.
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.