The North Carolina Republican was named speaker pro tempore minutes after the House voted to remove former speaker Kevin McCarthy from the speakership.
Topline
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was ousted from the speakership on Tuesday after less than nine months at the helm of the chamber, after a group of far-right Republicans partnered with Democrats to remove him from the role, marking the first time in American history that a House Speaker has been booted and setting up a temporary speakership for Republican North Carolina Rep. Patrick McHenry.Key Facts
McHenry will serve as interim House speaker in his speaker pro tempore role until the chamber selects a permanent replacement, which could also be McCarthy, though a handful of Republicans have been speculated to make runs for the speakership.
The North Carolina Republican had been chosen as interim speaker in a secret process required under House rules after McCarthy was voted in as speaker in January, though his name was only revealed after McCarthy was removed.
McHenry, the chair of the House Financial Services Committee, was elected to the House in 2005 representing North Carolina’s primarily rural 10th Congressional District, and previously served as House Republican chief deputy whip.
