After the House of Representatives voted Tuesday to oust Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) from his position as speaker, even some lawmakers were confused about what would happen next.

“What now?” a congressman shouted from the House of Representatives shortly after the vote.

Some confusion is normal: McCarthy is the first speaker in U.S. history to be impeached by a vote in the House. Here’s what we know about what happens next and what the tragedy could mean for the prospects of a government shutdown next month.

Why is McCarthy out?

The House of Representatives voted 216 to 210 to impeach McCarthy on Tuesday, following a Republican Party uprising led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).

Gaetz had said he would try to dethrone McCarthy if the Republican leader worked with Democrats to pass a stopgap government funding bill. The bill was necessary to ensure that the government could continue to function.

Despite the threat to his leadership, McCarthy, with the support of Democrats, passed the temporary budget bill just hours before the shutdown deadline Saturday evening.

Gaetz kept his promise Monday night by filing a motion to impeach McCarthy. Congress passed the motion on Tuesday and eight Republicans joined House Democrats in voting to dump the speaker.

Has this ever happened before?

No. This is the first time in American history that a Speaker of the House of Representatives has been impeached mid-term.

McCarthy has been in a precarious position since his first day on the job. To even be elected chairman, McCarthy made several concessions to far-right Republicans like Gaetz. One of these was to adopt rules that allowed only one representative to vote for his removal.

Is McCarthy running again?

McCarthy told Republicans on Tuesday night that he would not seek to regain the gavel, clearing the way for another candidate to take his place.

At a news conference Tuesday evening, McCarthy, in response to a question about whether he would consider giving up his seat in Congress, said: “I haven’t thought about that.”

So what now?

Rep. Patrick T. McHenry (R-N.C.), a close ally of McCarthy, will serve as temporary speaker.

House rules required McCarthy to submit a list of possible replacements shortly after being elected chairman. The house rules stipulate that in the event of a vacancy, the next member on the list “shall act as speaker pro tempore until the election of a speaker or a speaker pro tempore”. McHenry was the first name on McCarthy’s list.

“Before proceeding with the election of the Speaker, it would be prudent to first recess so that the appropriate caucus and conferences can meet and discuss the path forward,” McHenry said Tuesday, calling on the House to recess and to hit the gavel with a bang.

The House of Representatives will now take a long recess, with no votes expected before the next election

Wednesday.

Who will be the next speaker of the house?

Republicans hope to hold a candidates forum

next one

Tuesday and elections

next one

Punchbowl News reported this on Wednesday.

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), the House minority leader, will almost certainly run for speaker but will need support from the Republican Party to secure the position. Such a deal would be without precedent in modern American history.

Gaetz has yet to formally introduce a nominee, but told reporters after the vote that he believed Louisiana House Majority Leader Steve Scalise would be a phenomenal speaker. He also mentioned Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), another member of the Republican leadership who has been floated by fellow Republicans as a possible replacement for McCarthy.

Scalise, who voted to save McCarthy, has not said whether he wants the job. He started treatment for blood cancer last month.

What about the battle for government funding?

The resolution passed Saturday funds the government for about another seven weeks, delaying a possible shutdown until mid-November. The bill did not include funding for Ukraine, which President Biden has said he hopes to include in an additional measure.

Congress has yet to pass a comprehensive budget package that can satisfy both sides of the aisle. The House of Representatives must elect a speaker, pass a funding bill, work out any disagreements with the Democratic-controlled Senate and have the funding signed into law by November 17 to avoid a government shutdown. If lawmakers can’t fund the government by then, national parks will turn away visitors, government departments will operate at reduced capacity and members of the military will go unpaid.

“I’m concerned now about the timing,” McCarthy told reporters Tuesday evening. “I really believe we can solve this all in the end.”

What does this mean for California?

The death of Senator Dianne Feinstein early Friday morning, Governor. Gavin Newsom’s surprise choice of Laphonza Butler to replace her and the conservative revolt against McCarthy “together have created an upheaval that has reshaped both sides of the political divide,” writes The Times’ David Lauter.

read more

here

Times staff writer Erin B. Logan and Times staff writer Cameron Joseph contributed to this report.