Kevin McCarthy will not seek the speakership again, marking a devastating end to his time in GOP leadership.

The California Republican informed his members behind closed doors Tuesday night that he will forsake another attempt to win the top job after his ouster on Tuesday, according to seven people familiar with the remarks.

His announcement comes amid intense anger that over his ouster by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and seven other GOP members, who voted with House Democrats to eject him earlier Tuesday. Most Republicans vocally opposed his eviction.

McCarthy told his conference that he would return to California to spend time with his family. In his stead, the House will be run by Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), his hand-picked choice as acting speaker. House Republicans have no plans to return to session until next week, scrapping their plans to try to pass party-line spending bills.

The vacancy atop the House is sure to set off a scramble among ambitious Republicans — one that’s likely to get dirty and dragged-out, particularly if McCarthy’s deputies try to ascend. The GOP agrees that the most obvious choices are Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) and Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), all of whom had publicly backed McCarthy until he bowed out.

“I might have been given a bad break, but I’m still the luckiest man alive,” McCarthy said, according to multiple people in the room when he revealed he would not, as he’d vowed, keep trying to stay speaker.

His decision not to seek a comeback may well mark the end of a decades-long career in the GOP’s top ranks, one defined by a focus on power and a reputation among critics as a legislative lightweight. His drive to achieve the speakership in January led him to make deep concessions to his conservative detractors, leaving him vulnerable to exactly the sort of mutiny that sank him.

To some House Republicans, though, McCarthy’s move to bow out was no surprise. In the hours before his decision, GOP confidence in another potential speakership bid from the Californian had begun to crack.

With Republicans still reeling from the first-ever speaker ousting, rank-and-file members were widely insisting that McCarthy should make at least one more go in a chamber-wide vote for speaker. Yet support for the now-ex speaker was clearly shaken in the House GOP, with serious discussions ongoing about who would come next.

Many Republicans were questioning how he’d ever land the votes he needed, worrying about the possibility of primary threats back home if they were forced to support McCarthy through more rounds of fighting. Some senior Republicans were already speculating about a future without the California Republican.

Asked if he wanted McCarthy to run again, Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) — who sits on McCarthy’s leadership team as the GOP campaign chief, said: “We’ll see.” And asked if he could back Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), who has been named an acting speaker, he reiterated: “We’ll see.”

Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), who leads the Republican Study Committee and was floated as a possible speaker alternative in January, said “I’ll continue to support Kevin McCarthy as long as he’s running.”

Either way, Republicans are willing to admit one thing: No one knows what the coming days, or weeks, will bring.

“Let’s find a speaker. That’s the next step. Well, who? Who is that person?” Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) said, arguing that no clear alternatives to McCarthy currently exist.

“I think we’re all just in a reflection mode and trying to figure out where the next move will be. I don’t think anyone really knows,” said Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.), a senior appropriator.

Meanwhile, early discussions are happening about a potential vote to oust Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) from the conference in response to his push to oust McCarthy, according to one Republican familiar with the discussions.

Asked about whether Gaetz might be forced out of the conference, McCarthy ally Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.), said “a lot of people” are raising that question.

Elsewhere in the conference, other Republicans who supported firing McCarthy may face their own retribution. That includes Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), who may be removed from the more centrist Republican Governance Group after she joined hardliners in supporting his ouster.

After McCarthy’s ouster, McHenry huddled with several of his other allies and deputies, including Reps. Garret Graves (R-La.), French Hill (R-Ark.), Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Emmer (R-Minn.), the majority whip, for roughly an hour. None of them spoke on their way out of the meeting.

“I really am crushed because I don’t know how a guy could lose his job for doing the right thing,” longtime McCarthy supporter Rep. David Joyce (R-Ohio) said.

Meredith Lee Hill, Caitlin Emma, Jennifer Scholtes, Eleanor Mueller, Anthony Adragna contributed. 

Kevin McCarthy will not seek the speakership again, marking a devastating end to his time in GOP leadership.
The California Republican informed his members behind closed doors Tuesday night that he will forsake another attempt to win the top job after his ouster on Tuesday, according to seven people familiar with the remarks.
His announcement comes amid intense anger that over his ouster by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and seven other GOP members, who voted with House Democrats to eject him earlier Tuesday. Most Republicans vocally opposed his eviction.
McCarthy told his conference that he would return to California to spend time with his family. In his stead, the House will be run by Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), his hand-picked choice as acting speaker. House Republicans have no plans to return to session until next week, scrapping their plans to try to pass party-line spending bills.
The vacancy atop the House is sure to set off a scramble among ambitious Republicans — one that’s likely to get dirty and dragged-out, particularly if McCarthy’s deputies try to ascend. The GOP agrees that the most obvious choices are Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) and Conference Chair Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), all of whom had publicly backed McCarthy until he bowed out.
“I might have been given a bad break, but I’m still the luckiest man alive,” McCarthy said, according to multiple people in the room when he revealed he would not, as he’d vowed, keep trying to stay speaker.
His decision not to seek a comeback may well mark the end of a decades-long career in the GOP’s top ranks, one defined by a focus on power and a reputation among critics as a legislative lightweight. His drive to achieve the speakership in January led him to make deep concessions to his conservative detractors, leaving him vulnerable to exactly the sort of mutiny that sank him.
To some House Republicans, though, McCarthy’s move to bow out was no surprise. In the hours before his decision, GOP confidence in another potential speakership bid from the Californian had begun to crack.
With Republicans still reeling from the first-ever speaker ousting, rank-and-file members were widely insisting that McCarthy should make at least one more go in a chamber-wide vote for speaker. Yet support for the now-ex speaker was clearly shaken in the House GOP, with serious discussions ongoing about who would come next.
Many Republicans were questioning how he’d ever land the votes he needed, worrying about the possibility of primary threats back home if they were forced to support McCarthy through more rounds of fighting. Some senior Republicans were already speculating about a future without the California Republican.
Asked if he wanted McCarthy to run again, Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.) — who sits on McCarthy’s leadership team as the GOP campaign chief, said: “We’ll see.” And asked if he could back Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), who has been named an acting speaker, he reiterated: “We’ll see.”
Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), who leads the Republican Study Committee and was floated as a possible speaker alternative in January, said “I’ll continue to support Kevin McCarthy as long as he’s running.”
Either way, Republicans are willing to admit one thing: No one knows what the coming days, or weeks, will bring.
“Let’s find a speaker. That’s the next step. Well, who? Who is that person?” Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) said, arguing that no clear alternatives to McCarthy currently exist.
“I think we’re all just in a reflection mode and trying to figure out where the next move will be. I don’t think anyone really knows,” said Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.), a senior appropriator.
Meanwhile, early discussions are happening about a potential vote to oust Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) from the conference in response to his push to oust McCarthy, according to one Republican familiar with the discussions.
Asked about whether Gaetz might be forced out of the conference, McCarthy ally Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-N.D.), said “a lot of people” are raising that question.
Elsewhere in the conference, other Republicans who supported firing McCarthy may face their own retribution. That includes Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), who may be removed from the more centrist Republican Governance Group after she joined hardliners in supporting his ouster.
After McCarthy’s ouster, McHenry huddled with several of his other allies and deputies, including Reps. Garret Graves (R-La.), French Hill (R-Ark.), Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Emmer (R-Minn.), the majority whip, for roughly an hour. None of them spoke on their way out of the meeting.
“I really am crushed because I don’t know how a guy could lose his job for doing the right thing,” longtime McCarthy supporter Rep. David Joyce (R-Ohio) said.
Meredith Lee Hill, Caitlin Emma, Jennifer Scholtes, Eleanor Mueller, Anthony Adragna contributed.