Why do the Republicans want to oust Kevin McCarthy, Speaker of the House of Representatives?

At the first possible opportunity after it was announced that a government shutdown was avoided, ultra-conservative Republicans launched a motion to impeach the current Speaker of the House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy .

The impeachment motion is an unusual procedure in Congress. During the last century, only two motions have been applied, both against Republicans: The first was in 1910 against Joseph Cannon, while the second in 2015 against John Boehner. Neither were successful, but the arithmetic in the House means McCarthy’s number could be up.

Why McCarthy has drawn the ire of Republicans

The “motion to vacate” is a punishment by the ultra-conservatives of the same party; they are furious with the Republican leader after he relied ipon the Democrats’ vote to rescue the provisional financing bill.

Members like Matt Gaetz had already said any agreement with the Democrats would be a red line and he would force a vote to remove the speaker. A vote change agreed upon McCarthy’s accession means just one member needs to begin the procedure.

How many votes are needed to unseat McCarthy?

McCarthy did not want to postpone the House’s decision, so the voting has already begun. For McCarthy to be removed from office, the support of a simple minority is needed.

Currently, the House of Representatives has 435 members; 221 Republicans and 212 Democrats Party. McCarthy has used his short tenure to begin an investigation into the president, meaning he has no friends on the other side of the aisle. The leader of the Democrats, Hakeem Jeffries has already announced that the party will vote in favor of McCarthy’s impeachment, leaving the final decision in the hands of the Republicans.

“It is now the responsibility of the GOP members to end the House Republican Civil War,” Jeffries said.

All it would take is five votes from Republicans to remove him. Six Republican representatives have already said they will vote to kick him out.