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Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz introduced a motion to vacate against House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Monday (October 2).
"Mr. Speaker, pursuant to clause two A1 of Rule nine, I rise to give notice of my intent to raise a question of the privileges of the House," Gaetz announced on the House floor. "Declaring the office Speaker of the House of Representatives to be vacant. Resolved that the office of Speaker of the House Representatives is hereby declared to be vacant."
Now, McCarthy has two days to schedule a vote on the resolution. Republicans can try to kill the motion by calling to table it when it is brought to the floor. If that motion passes by a simple majority, the motion to vacate would be dead, and McCarthy would maintain his speakership.
However, if that fails, McCarthy would have to face a vote on his speakership and would require a majority vote to keep the position.
Gaetz said that the only way McCarthy remains as Speaker is with support from Democratic lawmakers.
“I have enough Republicans where, at this point next week, one of two things will happen: Kevin McCarthy won’t be the speaker of the House, or he’ll be the speaker of the House working at the pleasure of the Democrats. And I’m at peace with either result because the American people deserve to know who governs them,” Gaetz told reporters after filing the motion.
In response to the motion, McCarthy said, "Bring it on," in a post on X.