Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the former Speaker of the House, has announced that he will retire from the House by the end of 2023. In an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, McCarthy stated that he is stepping down from his position in order to serve America in new ways. McCarthy, who has represented California’s 20th Congressional District since 2006, was ousted as Speaker in October after a no-confidence vote led by fellow Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz.
McCarthy has been a key player in the Republican Party, working his way up the party ranks and becoming a fundraising powerhouse. He won the Speaker’s gavel in January, but only after making concessions to appease members of his party who were frustrated with his leadership. However, after losing the speakership, McCarthy assured reporters that he would seek re-election and would not resign from his position.
However, it seems that the California Republican has had a change of heart. In his op-ed, McCarthy touted his accomplishments, including helping Republicans win the majority in the House and passing various bills. He also cited the recent spending legislation that preceded his ouster as Speaker. In his announcement, McCarthy stated that “no matter the odds, or personal cost, we did the right thing. That may seem out of fashion in Washington these days, but delivering results for the American people is still celebrated across the country.”
Republicans bounced George Santos.
Kevin McCarthy is leaving this month.
Bill Johnson is retiring.
This will leave the GOP with a ONE-SEAT majority.
Democrats would never do their voters like this.
These people don’t give a sh!t about us or the country. In fact, they…
— Monica Crowley (@MonicaCrowley) December 6, 2023
McCarthy’s departure will mean that the GOP’s majority in the House, in which Republicans only hold a slim margin over Democrats, will become even narrower. This comes after the recent expulsion of fellow Republican Rep. George Santos. A special election to replace Santos will be held in mid-February, and it is expected that a special election to replace McCarthy will be scheduled soon after.
With his retirement, McCarthy joins a growing list of House members who have announced their departure from Congress in the upcoming year. Rep. Patrick McHenry, who served as temporary House Speaker during the leadership fight that led to McCarthy’s ouster, announced on Tuesday that he will not seek reelection in 2024. This marks a significant change for the Republican Party, as they will have to work to maintain their majority in the House without the leadership of key members like McCarthy and McHenry.
🚨BREAKING: Kevin McCarthy will not seek reelection and will retire from Congress at the end of this month, further reducing the razor-thin House GOP majority.
Do you have any parting words for Kevin? pic.twitter.com/zdRaxKw5f3
— Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets) December 6, 2023
As for his future plans, McCarthy stated that he will continue to recruit and support candidates for elected office. He also hinted that he may still play a role in the Republican Party, stating that he is “committed to lending [his] experience to support the next generation of leaders.” However, businessman David Giglio, who is running against McCarthy for his House seat, issued a statement on Wednesday warning that McCarthy is looking to “wield power and influence behind the scenes through a handpicked successor.”
In the coming months, McCarthy’s departure and the subsequent special election to replace him will be closely watched by political observers. With the 2024 election season just around the corner, the Republican Party will have to work to maintain their hold on the House and find new leaders to fill the void left by McCarthy’s retirement.
