Kevin McCarthy, the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, faced a dramatic ouster on Tuesday, driven by a revolt from the far-right faction of the Republican Party, angered by his collaboration with Democrats.
This unprecedented event has laid bare the divisions and internal strife within the Republican Party as they prepare for the upcoming 2024 presidential election, with Donald Trump playing a prominent role.
The removal of a House Speaker, a first in the institution’s 234-year history, garnered support primarily from a small group of staunch right-wing Republicans. However, the House is currently finely balanced, and with Democrats aligning with these rebel Republicans rather than coming to McCarthy’s aid, his survival became untenable.
The 58-year-old former entrepreneur from California drew the ire of conservatives when he pushed for a bipartisan temporary funding measure, supported by the White House, to prevent a government shutdown.
Matt Gaetz, a conservative from Florida, who initiated the vote for McCarthy’s removal, took a calculated gamble that he could achieve this with the support of only a handful of Republicans.
Even Democrats had their grievances with McCarthy, particularly regarding his decision to backtrack on a spending limits agreement he had earlier negotiated with President Biden during high-stakes discussions on the federal budget.
[Source: AFP]
