House Speaker McCarthy Confident He Can Survive Ouster Attempt from Rep. Gaetz

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is confident he can survive an ouster attempt from Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who filed a resolution on Monday to remove him from office.

Gaetz, a Donald Trump ally and conservative bomb-thrower, made the motion two days after McCarthy relied heavily on the votes of House Democrats to pass a bill to extend government funding for 45 days.

Speaking to reporters on the steps of the Capitol, Gaetz declared that he had enough Republican votes to oust McCarthy, as long as Democrats don’t move to save the speaker.

McCarthy, however, is confident he can survive the ouster attempt. He has been a nagging thorn in leadership’s side and has been relying heavily on the votes of House Democrats to pass bills.

The resolution to vacate the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives is a privileged resolution, meaning a vote on the matter must occur within two legislative days. It is unclear when the vote will take place, but it is expected to be a close one.

Hard-right Republicans have been vocal in their opposition to McCarthy’s leadership, and it remains to be seen if they will be successful in their attempt to remove him.