The Speaker's Fall: From McCarthy to the Next Frontrunners

The fall of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy marks a new low in the declining status of the speakership, as he becomes the first speaker in U.S. history to be ousted by a vote of the whole House. McCarthy's ouster was not entirely unexpected, given the rules change in January that allowed a single House member to force a vote on removing the speaker. This reflects the increasing vulnerability of the office and the weakening of the speaker's power. McCarthy's removal is part of a trend that has seen four speakerships change hands since 2010, with three of the previous speakers failing to appease the hard-right conservatives in their party. The next House speaker will be the fifth since 2010.