On Sunday, Representative Matt Gaetz announced his intention to challenge House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a fellow Republican, for his leadership position this week.

This move came in response to McCarthy’s utilization of Democratic support to pass legislation that averted a government shutdown. McCarthy responded with a confident “Bring it on.”

Gaetz, a longtime McCarthy nemesis, said in broadcast interviews that McCarthy was in “brazen, material breach” of agreements he made with House Republicans in January when he ran for speaker.

As a result, Gaetz said he would be filing a “ motion to vacate the chair,” as House rules permit, the Associated Press reported.

McCarthy’s response: “So be it. Bring it on. Let’s get over with it and let’s start governing.”

“I think we need to rip off the Band-Aid,” said Gaetz, R-Fla. “I think we need to move on with new leadership that can be trustworthy.”

No speaker has ever been ousted from office using this approach. Procedural votes may be proposed to thwart the motion, or it could trigger a House floor vote to determine whether McCarthy, a Republican from California, should retain his position as speaker.

Republicans have just concluded a turbulent week during which Congress came close to a government shutdown, and the House majority party struggled to pass its own bill to avert such a shutdown.

Many GOP legislators expressed dissatisfaction with the House’s delayed consideration of annual spending bills, viewing it as a missed opportunity to pressure the Senate into negotiating on spending and policy priorities.

Written by staff