Kevin McCarthy, the shortest-ever serving House Speaker speaker since 1876, is reportedly considering resigning from Congress before the end of his term.
According to a report by POLITICO, two people familiar with the matter have confirmed that McCarthy is considering stepping down. However, he has made it clear that he plans to stay at least through the speakership election that begins next week.
Interestingly, some Republicans are still considering McCarthy as a potential candidate for the Speaker role. They argue that no one else could secure the 218 Republican votes needed for the position. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Majority Leader Steve Scalise are also in the race but may not be able to garner enough support, according to Republicans per Politico.
Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) has urged the party to reconsider their decision and restore McCarthy as Speaker. According to McClintock, the “only workable outcome is to restore Kevin McCarthy as Speaker under party rules that respect and enforce the right of the majority party to elect him.”
It can be recalled that during a press conference, McCarthy confirmed that he would not be seeking reelection for the Speaker role.