Conservative House Members Want Right To Vote Out McCarthy Any Time They Want — Here’s What To Know About The ‘Motion To Vacate’

Topline

Facing a tough challenge to his speakership bid, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) scheduled a meeting Wednesday to hash out demands some Republicans made for new caucus rules, including one known as the “motion to vacate” that would allow members to vote to remove him any time they disagree with him.

Key Facts

Under existing rules put in place by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), there must be majority agreement from a caucus to force a vote on a “motion to vacate” — which allows members to replace their leader — but a faction of Republicans now want to make it even easier to exert leverage over their next speaker.

A group of seven conservative House members called on incoming leadership to change the “motion to vacate” so that any member can initiate the procedure to remove the speaker.

The motion to vacate was used for the first time since 1910 in 2015 when former Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) attempted to remove former House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), who resigned before Congress could vote on the motion.

The change could expose McCarthy, who previously expressed opposition to the rule change, to threats against his leadership position any time a member disagrees with his decisions.

Key Background

McCarthy’s once-certain future as speaker fell on shaky ground in the wake of the midterm elections, when Democrats outperformed in several key races, leaving the GOP with a slim nine-seat advantage in the House. McCarthy, who won the nomination for speaker over challenger Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) in November, needs 218 votes to win. The narrow margins have empowered some conservative lawmakers to capitalize on McCarthy’s increasingly desperate situation by demanding the reinstatement of the motion to vacate, along with a rule that would forbid GOP leaders from being involved in primaries and another to require bills to be posted in their entirety 72 hours before voting takes place. As of now, four Republicans dubbed the “Never Kevins”—Reps. Matt Gaetz (Fla.), Bob Good (Penn.), Matt Rosendale (Md.) and Ralph Norman (Ill.)— have expressed plans to vote against McCarthy. And at least two others, Reps. Chip Roy (Tx.) and Dan Bishop (N.C.), have publicly expressed uncertainties about his leadership abilities and/or their voting plans.

Surprising Fact

As of now, McCarthy does not have the votes to win the speakership outright. If the first round of voting does not produce 218 ballots for a single candidate, House members will vote in a second round until one candidate reaches the threshold to win. That scenario would make McCarthy the first speaker candidate in 100 years to undergo multiple voting rounds.

Contra

Rep. David Joyce (R-Ohio) called the proposal to reinstate the motion to vacate a “stupid idea,” he said in a recent interview on ABC News’ “This Week,” adding that he believes McCarthy has earned the opportunity to hold the role unchallenged for two years. Some House Freedom Caucus members also support McCarthy, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-Ga.) and its founding chairman, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio).

Further Reading

Rep. Andy Biggs Challenges McCarthy For Speaker—But Neither May Have The Votes To Win (Forbes)

Kevin McCarthy Fends Off Challenge For House Speaker Nomination—But Still Doesn’t Have The Votes To Win (Forbes)

Republican Infighting Complicates McCarthy’s Quest For House Speaker—Here’s What Could Actually Happen (Forbes)