Kevin McCarthy Resigns as Speaker of the House After Unexpected Vote to Remove Him From Power

At a press conference on Tuesday evening, Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy announced his resignation from his post. The surprise announcement came less than two hours after a 216-210 vote in the chamber, with eight Republicans joining all Democrats in voting to remove him from power.

McCarthy stated that he did not regret negotiating, and that the government is designed to find compromise. He also said that he wanted to do the job with a smile, and that doing the right thing is not always easy, but it is necessary. He added that the country was “too great for small visions” in reference to the Republicans who voted to remove him.

It is still unclear whether McCarthy had key conversations during the short interlude that told him it was hopeless, or if he simply didn’t have the fight in him. He also said that he did not regret standing up for choosing governing over grievance.

McCarthy stated that he would have the conference pick somebody else to take his place. He also said that he wanted to thank everyone for their support and that he was proud of the work they had done together.

The sudden removal of McCarthy from his post has been a shock to many. It is still uncertain what the future holds for the former Speaker of the House.