Kevin McCarthy to resign from US Congress by year-end; will not seek re-election in 2024

Washington, Dec 7

Former US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy will be resigning from Congress by the end of this year and will not run for re-election next year, leaving a legacy of a historic Capitol Hill career after 15 rounds of voting to become Speaker in January and getting ousted 10 months later by a conservative rebellion. His resignation will reduce the Republican majority in the House by three.

"I have decided to depart the House at the end of this year to serve America in new ways. I know my work is only getting started," McCarthy said in an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal.

While politicians are clueless about McCarthy’s future steps, he has promised to stay invested in Republican politics. The California Republican declined to make another bid for the gavel after being removed as Speaker in October, media reports said.

"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 lending my experience to support the next generation of leaders," McCarthy said.

Eight Republicans voted with House Democrats in October to remove the California Republican from his leadership post.

Notwithstanding his unceremonious ouster from speakership led by Florida’s Matt Gaetz, McCarthy, in a video after his announcement, said he is "proud of what we have accomplished", touting the bipartisan debt ceiling agreement he struck with President Joe Biden to avert a catastrophic default and his efforts to avoid a government shutdown. Both of those deals played a role in his eventual removal from the speakership by a conservative rebellion.

"Simply put, we did the right thing," McCarthy said.

McCarthy's departure reduces further the razor-thin GOP majority in the House. After his resignation, Republicans will control the lower chamber by just a three-seat margin, further complicating House Speaker Mike Johnson's bid to pass conservative legislation. Also, try to force an impeachment vote on Biden on the Hunter Biden (son) issues while most politicians will fall through as there is no evidence to link Biden with his son's business dealings.

Though there is no love lost between the Democrats and Republican former Speaker McCarthy, they will certainly lose a moderator across the aisle.

After McCarthy's departure from Congress, California Gov. Gavin Newsom must declare a special election to fill the vacancy within 14 days, according to California law. After that declaration, the special election must be held within 126 to 140 days. McCarthy's seat is considered a safe Republican district, according to the nonpartisan Cook Political Report.