Kevin McCarthy OUT of Congress: Ousted Republican Speaker will leave at the end of the MONTH

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy will retire at the end of this month, he announced Wednesday.

In an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal, he boasted of the House's accomplishments under his speakership. 

'It is in this spirit that 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,' he wrote. 

'I will continue to recruit our country’s best and brightest to run for elected office. The Republican Party is expanding every day, and I am committed to lending my experience to support the next generation of leaders.'

McCarthy first took office in the House in 2007. He quickly rose through the ranks, jumping from deputy whip, majority whip, majority leader then minority leader then speaker. 

After taking fifteen ballots to cinch the speakership in January, the California Republican was summarily ousted by his colleagues nine months later over a clean spending bill he put on the House floor. 

The House Republican majority will now whittle down to two with McCarthy's departure, after Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., was expelled last week. 

The special election for Santos' seat is February 13. 

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., sounded off about the slimmed majority on X. 

'Well.. Now in 2024, we will have a 1 seat majority in the House of Representatives. Congratulations Freedom Caucus for one and 105 Rep who expel our own for the other. I can assure you Republican voters didn’t give us the majority to crash the ship. Hopefully no one dies.'

The retirement announcement follows one by Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., McCarthy's close ally who helped negotiate the debt limit deal for him with the White House. McHenry will finish out his term and not seek reelection. 

'No matter the odds, or personal cost, we did the right thing,' McCarthy wrote. 'That may seem out of fashion in Washington these days, but delivering results for the American people is still celebrated across the country.'

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., reacted to the news on X: 'McLeavin’.' 

Gaetz launched a motion to vacate after McCarthy put a 'clean' continuing resolution, or CR, on the House floor to continue government spending at 2023 levels for six weeks and avoid a government shutdown. Gaetz and other conservatives wanted to see steep spending cuts, and no CRs. 

Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell offered a message of praise on X. 

.@SpeakerMcCarthy’s neighbors in Bakersfield were fortunate to have such an optimistic doer represent them for 17 years. I am proud of the work we accomplished together in the Capitol, and I wish him the very best as he writes a new chapter.'