On October 3rd, 2023, history was made in the United States House of Representatives when eight House Republicans voted alongside House Democrats to remove Kevin Owen McCarthy from his position as Speaker of the House. The Republican Representative from California had not served a full year as Speaker before he was motioned to vacate by the House in a 216-210 decision. McCarthy was the 55th Speaker of the House, but now stands as the only Speaker to ever be removed.

Uncertainty was in the air following McCarthy’s removal. How could Congress function if business in the House was effectively halted until a Speaker was decided?

When asked if he would run again, McCarthy said that he would not.

“I may have lost a vote today, but I fought for what I believe in and I believe in America. It has been an honor to serve,” asserted McCarthy at a press conference in the U.S. Capital.

The House’s quick fix for their situation was to appoint the first ever Speaker pro tempore of the United States House of Representatives. The representative that assumed pro tempore speakership was Patrick Henry, a Republican from North Carolina.

The story of the troubles in the House of Representatives ended when Republican Representative Mike Johnson from Louisiana assumed the role of Speaker of the House. Johnson was elected  on October 25th after a 220-209 vote from the House.

Johnson has represented Louisiana’s 4th congressional district since 2017, and is the first Speaker of the House from Louisiana.