Kevin McCarthy was removed from the speakership of the US House of Representatives on Tuesday in a historic vote prompted by a revolt from the top Republican's right flank.
The 216-210 vote saw eight Republican lawmakers and all present Democrats vote to remove him from the post. The House adjourned shortly after the vote concluded. Republican Representative Patrick McHenry was appointed interim speaker until a leader can be selected.
A vote will now need to be held to elect a successor.
McCarthy later confirmed that he would not run for House speaker again, saying he leaves the post "with a sense of pride, accomplishment" and "optimism."
"I don't regret standing up for choosing governing over grievance," he told reporters. "I don’t regret negotiating."
It is unclear who will ultimately take the role. A simple majority was needed in the chamber to force McCarthy's removal.
Members leaving the House Republican conference meeting said there will be a candidate forum for speaker next Tuesday and an election on Wednesday next week, according to NBC News.
Representative Matt Gaetz introduced the "motion to vacate" the chair on Monday and took to the House floor on Tuesday afternoon to launch a broadside against McCarthy, accusing him of failing to live up to his word.
"The one thing that the White House, House Democrats, and many of us on the conservative side of the Republican caucus would argue is the thing we have in common: Kevin McCarthy said something to all of us at one point or another that he didn't really mean and never intended to live up to," he said.
"I don't think voting against Kevin McCarthy is chaos. I think $33 trillion in debt is chaos. I think that facing a $2.2 trillion annual deficit is chaos. I think that not passing single subject spending bills is chaos," he added.
In addition to Gaetz, Republican Representatives Andy Biggs, Ken Buck, Tim Burchett, Eli Crane, Bob Good, Nancy Mace and Matt Rosendale voted to end McCarthy's speakership.
Tuesday's no-confidence vote is the first in US history to result in the removal of a House speaker.
McCarthy earlier this year lowered the threshold needed to bring a motion to vacate to the House floor in a concession to Gaetz's wing of the Republican Party that saw him assume the speakership.
