On Politics

Wed Dec 6 2023

Marina Pitofsky | Associate Editor/Politics

Hi OnPolitics readers! Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., started 2023 by being elected to the top job in the House after a marathon 15 rounds of voting.

🔄 Catching up: McCarthy was ousted in October, after a group of Republican rebels voted with Democrats to remove him from his post. And today, he announced that he's resigning from Congress and won't run for reelection next year.

"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," the California Republican write in an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal.

🔮 What's next? The California Republican is a prolific fundraiser. He promised on Tuesday to stay in politics even after he leaves Congress, vowing to "recruit our country's best and brightest to run for elected office," USA TODAY's Ken Tran reports.

⚖️ Changing the balance: McCarthy's departure further narrows 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 GOP efforts to pass conservative legislation.