Key takeaways:
- Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy denied reports that he is considering resigning from Congress.
- McCarthy’s allies said he is “exploring his options but has not made a definitive decision.”
- An early departure from Congress would mean McCarthy won’t have to serve out the rest of his term as an ousted speaker.
Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy denied reports on Friday that he is considering resigning from Congress before his term concludes in 2025. This comes after hardline Republicans and Democrats forced him out of the speaker’s chair earlier this week.
McCarthy made his comments shortly after two people familiar with the situation told NBC News that he was considering resigning. Politico reported that McCarthy was considering leaving Congress, and CNN reported that he is expected to resign sometime after the speaker’s race concludes.
One of McCarthy’s allies said he was “exploring his options but has not made a definitive decision.” McCarthy himself said twice on Friday, “I’m not resigning.” The other source said, “No decision made.”
An early departure from Congress would mean the California Republican won’t have to serve out the rest of his term as an ousted speaker who is now a rank-and-file member of Congress. McCarthy said he plans to “help the people I got here, and we’re going to expand it further” in the 2024 elections.
The news of McCarthy’s potential resignation follows Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz’s “motion to vacate” resolution passing earlier this week. The resolution was seen as a rebuke of McCarthy’s leadership and a sign of the growing divide between hardline Republicans and Democrats.
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