Gaetz follows through on threat to vacate McCarthy’s speakership: ‘Bring it on.’
WASHINGTON, D.C. – After months of criticism and multiple vows to take action against U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz followed through Monday evening.
“[Be it] resolved, that the office of Speaker of the House of Representatives is hereby declared to be vacant,” Gaetz said on the House floor.
McCarthy reacted on X, formerly Twitter, saying, “Bring it on.”
“Just did,” Gaetz responded.
Speaking to the press after filing the resolution, the Florida congressman, who’s rumored to be mulling a run for governor, said he’s “at peace” with no longer “own[ing]” McCarthy.
“One thing I’m at peace with is when we stand here a week from now, I won’t own Kevin McCarthy anymore,” he said. “He won’t belong to me. If the Democrats want to adopt him, they can adopt him.”
“They can have him.”
A motion to vacate the chair in the U.S. House requires a simple majority vote. Republicans do control the chamber, but narrowly: 221 Republicans, 212 Democrats.
A simple majority of the House would require 218 votes – that means if Gaetz convinces all Democrats to vacate McCarthy, he would still need to convince at least five other Republicans, in addition to his own vote, to vote against the speaker.
The Democrats in the House are lead by U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York.
McCarthy recently worked with Democrats and President Joe Biden to pass a spending bill to avert a government shutdown, which Jeffries called a victory for Americans and loss for “extreme MAGA Republicans.”
“The only thing that unifies Washington today is that @SpeakerMcCarthy has lied to all of us on one thing or another,” Gaetz said Monday, hours before filing to vacate the speakership.
Aside from whipping Democratic votes, it’s also unclear which Republicans would be on board for Gaetz’s motion.
“Some of my wonderful conservative friends won’t be voting to #VacateMcCarthy,” Gaetz said Tuesday morning. “They worry it might disrupt legislative business.”
The House has until Wednesday to vote on Gaetz’s resolution.
Gaetz has thrusted himself to the forefront of conservative politics and has branded himself as an ardent supporter of former President Donald Trump and the “MAGA” movement.
With that influence, he’s been rumored to be considering a run for governor of Florida in 2026, to which he has already secured the favor of former President Donald Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr.
“Matt Gaetz for governor!” Trump Jr. said last month.
“I want him to run for governor,” said Kimbery Guilfoyle, Trump Jr.’s partner.
“I would definitely enjoy that job so much,” Gaetz said. “I would never leave it if I ever got that opportunity.”
On Gaetz running for governor, the former president himself sung praise for Gaetz, but did not outright endorse him.
“Well, he’s a great guy,” Trump said. “I mean, he’s great. He’s a wonderful person. He’s strong. He went through Hell for two years over something that I never believed for a second, and he held up very strong. He was very strong.”
As Gaetz could be mulling a run for governor, his father, Don Gaetz, recently jumped into the Florida Senate race in District 1.
Don Gaetz served as Senate president from 2012 to 2014, and was in the Florida Senate from 2006 to 2016.
