BREAKING: Kevin McCarthy has been ousted as speaker of the House. It's the first time in U.S. history that House lawmakers have voted their leader out. https://t.co/pT8qms4Kx0 pic.twitter.com/DijFihj2jI

— ABC News (@ABC) October 3, 2023

In a 45-minute roll call vote, the House moved to oust McCarthy as speaker.

The final vote was 216 to 210 in favor of Gaetz’s motion to vacate.

“The office of speaker of the House of the United States House of Representatives is hereby declared vacant,” said presiding officer Rep. Steve Womack.

It is the first time in U.S. history that the speaker of the House has been booted from the post, putting the chamber in unprecedented territory.

[So the dog has caught the car. Now what? Gaetz didn’t have much of a plan. You can bet that McCarthy’s name will come up in nomination, unless he’s just fed up at this point. — Ed]