Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has said that he will try to remove House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) from his leadership position this week. Gaetz is a longtime McCarthy nemesis, and he has accused McCarthy of being in “brazen, material breach” of agreements he made with House Republicans in January when he ran for speaker.
McCarthy has responded to Gaetz’s threat by saying, “Bring it on. Let’s get over with it and let’s start governing.”
If Gaetz is able to get a majority of House members to support his motion to vacate the chair, McCarthy will be removed from his position as speaker. However, this is a difficult feat to achieve, and it has never been done before.
McCarthy has the support of a large majority of House Republicans, but he may need votes from some Democrats to keep his job. The Republican Party holds a slim majority in the House, with only 221 seats to the Democrats’ 212.
If Gaetz is able to convince some Democrats to vote against McCarthy, the speaker could be removed from his position. However, it is also possible that some Democrats will support McCarthy, in order to avoid a Republican leadership vacuum.
It is also worth noting that Gaetz is a polarizing figure within the Republican Party. He is a member of the party’s far-right wing, and he has been involved in a number of controversies. As a result, it is possible that some Republicans will vote against Gaetz’s motion to vacate the chair, even if they are unhappy with McCarthy’s leadership.
Overall, it is too early to say whether Gaetz will be able to remove McCarthy as speaker. The outcome of this vote will depend on a number of factors, including the level of support that Gaetz can muster from both Republicans and Democrats.
