Republican Representative, Kevin McCarthy has announced that he is resigning from his congressional seat in California.
The announcement came two months after his historic ouster as U.S House Speaker.
“No matter the odds, or personal cost, we did the right thing,” McCarthy wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed about his time in Congress and retirement.
He noted, “That may seem out of fashion in Washington these days, but delivering results for the American people is still celebrated across the country.”
“It is in this spirit that I have decided to depart the House at the end of this year to serve America in new ways,” he said.
“I know my work is only getting started,” he added.
“I never could have imagined the journey when I first threw my hat into the ring. I go knowing I left it all on the field—as always, with a smile on my face. And looking back, I wouldn’t have had it any other way.”
Kevin McCarthy
McCarthy’s resignation means California Governor Gavin Newsom must call a special election to replace him.
The seat will be vacant in between, narrowing an already-slim Republican House majority.
Covering parts of Kern, Fresno, Tulare and Kings counties, California’s 20th Congressional District is solidly Republican.
Depending on what his next career steps are, McCarthy’s prowess as a prolific fundraiser will be hard for the California and national Republican party to replace.
Nonetheless, he wrote what would be part of his next steps.
“I will continue to recruit our country’s best and brightest to run for elected office,” he wrote.
“The Republican Party is expanding every day, and I am committed to lending my experience to support the next generation of leaders,” he added.
McCarthy has been in office for 17 years and spent much of it in House leadership.
It took a record 15 votes for McCarthy to line up the support he needed to win House Speaker Post in January 2023.
Not since the Civil War era has a Speaker’s vote dragged through so many rounds of counting.
He was ousted in October.
His ouster was fueled by grievances from his party’s hard-right flank, including over his decision to work with Democrats to keep the federal government open rather than risk a shutdown.
McCarthy is the only speaker in history to be voted out of the job.
Republicans Left With Razor-thin Majority
McCarthy’s decision will narrow the House GOP’s already narrow majority, which just got smaller after the expulsion of ex-Rep. George Santos of New York.
The vacancy created by Rep. George Santos, expelled last week, will not be filled until early next year.
A special election to fill the seat is scheduled for February 13, 2024 and Democrats are given a decent chance of winning.
Chances are McCarthy’s seat will not be filled until later.
Funding for about 20% of the federal government is due to run out January 19, 2024, and the deadline for funding the rest is February 2, 2024.
The House is scheduled to leave for the year at the end of next week and not return until January 9, 2024.
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