The House teed up a vote later Tuesday on Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s fate after blocking a maneuver that would have ended — for now — a move to oust him from leadership brought from dissidents in his own party.
The chamber defeated a motion to table, or kill, a “motion to vacate” the speakership, as McCarthy’s feud with Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida threatened to kick off a fight for the speaker’s gavel nearly nine months after the California Republican secured it after 15 ballots. Every Democrat voting and 11 Republicans opposed tabling the resolution, which was defeated 208-218.
As members debated whether or not to oust him, McCarthy had little time to line up enough support to stay in the House’s top job. His allies said if McCarthy was ousted they would nominate him to return to office.
