- “I have decided to leave the House of Representatives at the end of this year to serve America in new ways. I know my work is just beginning,” he wrote in an op-ed
- The Republican majority in the House of Representatives will now drop to two with McCarthy's departure, after Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y. was deported last week
Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy will retire at the end of this month, he announced on Wednesday.
In an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, he boasted of the House's achievements under his chairmanship.
“It is in this spirit that I have decided to leave the House of Representatives at the end of this year to serve America in new ways. I know my work is just beginning,” he wrote.
“I will continue to recruit our country's best and brightest to run for elected office. The Republican Party is expanding every day and I am committed to using my experience to support the next generation of leaders.”
McCarthy first took office in the House of Representatives in 2007. He quickly rose through the ranks, jumping from deputy whip, majority whip, majority leader, minority leader and then chairman.
After receiving 15 ballots to win the presidency in January, the California Republican was summarily impeached by his colleagues nine months later over a clean spending bill he put on the House floor.
Former Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy will retire at the end of this month, he announced on Wednesday
The Republican majority in the House of Representatives will now drop to two with McCarthy's departure, after Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., was expelled last week.
The retirement announcement follows that of Rep. Patrick McHenry, RN.C., McCarthy's close ally who helped negotiate the debt limit deal with the White House. McHenry will complete his term and will not seek re-election.
“Regardless of the odds or personal cost, we did the right thing,” McCarthy wrote. “That may seem out of fashion in Washington these days, but delivering results for the American people is still celebrated across the country.”
Rep. Matt Gaetz launched a motion to evict after McCarthy introduced a “clean” continuing resolution, or CR, on the floor of the House of Representatives to keep government spending at 2023 levels for six weeks and impose a government shutdown to prevent. Gaetz and other conservatives wanted sharp cuts, not CRs.