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Kevin McCarthy

Some of the biggest congressional fights in U.S. history

John Fea   |  November 16, 2023

Two fights almost broke-out this week on Capitol Hill. You can read all about them here. The most famous fight in congressional history happened in 1856 when Preston Brooks of South Carolina caned Charles Sumner of Massachusetts in the Senate […]

Steve Scalise drops out of Speaker race

John Fea   |  October 12, 2023

Yesterday the Republican Party nominated Lousiana’s Steve Scalise as their choice to replace Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House. Today Scalise withdrew his name from consideration. Here is CNN: Rep. Steve Scalise announced he was dropping out of the speaker’s race […]

Political thinkers weigh-in on the ousting of Kevin McCarthy

John Fea   |  October 9, 2023

Kevin McCarthy is no longer the Speaker of the House. What happened? Politico has gathered some experts to discuss the current state of the Republican Party. Contributors include historians Mary Frances Berry, Joanne Freeman, and Joshua Zeitz. Here is Freeman: […]

Is Kevin McCarthy leaving Congress?

John Fea   |  October 6, 2023

Here is Olivia Beavers at Politico: Kevin McCarthy is considering resigning from the House before the end of his term, two people familiar with the matter told POLITICO. The deposed former speaker has made clear he plans to stay at […]

The GOP clownshow rolls on

John Fea   |  October 4, 2023

In 1910, the House of Representatives voted to remove Speaker of the House Joseph Cannon, an anti-progressive Republican (as opposed to the progressive Republican presidents Teddy Roosevelt and William Howard Taft) from Illinois. Here is Hillsdale College historian Joseph Postell: […]

The real meaning of Kevin McCarthy’s impeachment inquiry against Biden

John Fea   |  September 13, 2023

I’ll let Russell Berman explain. Here is a taste of his piece at The Atlantic: As Kevin McCarthy made his televised declaration earlier today that House Republicans were launching an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden, the House speaker stood outside his […]

Trump is indicted for a fourth time. Some responses:

John Fea   |  August 15, 2023

Get up to speed here. The Speaker of the House: Ohio GOP congressman Jim Jordan: Jenna Ellis (INDICTED): Tennessee senator Marsha Blackburn: Texas Senator Ted Cruz: Arizona congressman Andy Biggs: California congressman Adam Schiff: Colorado congresswoman Lauren Boebert: Georgia congresswoman […]

The House Freedom Caucus boots Marjorie Taylor Greene

John Fea   |  July 6, 2023

Apparently the Trumpiest wing of the GOP doesn’t like their fellow Trumpers calling Lauren Boebert a “little bitch.” Here is Politico: Why was Greene removed? Though tensions were already brewing within the Freedom Caucus, the formal vote came shortly after Greene […]

The “Five Families” of the House Republican Caucus

John Fea   |  March 25, 2023

As a fan of The Godfather, I couldn’t pass up this Washington Post piece by Adrian Blanco, Marianna Sotomayor, and Hannah Dormido. Here is a taste: It all started with a meeting that then-Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) convened after […]

Tucker and Kevin rewrite the history of January 6th

John Fea   |  March 8, 2023

In order to justify his invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin had to rewrite history. So did Josef Stalin. On Monday night, Tucker Carlson tried to rewrite the history of January 6, 2021. He got help from Speaker of the House […]

What does Marjorie Taylor Greene want?

John Fea   |  January 31, 2023

She wants more than committee assignments in the 118th Congress. She wants power. Here is Jonathan Swan and Catie Edmondson at The New York Times: Days after he won his gavel in a protracted fight with hard-right Republicans, Speaker Kevin […]

Will Kevin McCarthy last more than 66 days as Speaker of the House?

John Fea   |  January 24, 2023

66 days. That’s how long Didius Julianus lasted as Roman emperor in 193 C.E. As historian Edward Watts notes, he “ran out of things to give his allies.” Here is a taste of his piece at Zocalo: Julianus was so […]

Historians Kevin Kruse and Julian Zelizer on the state of the Republican Party

John Fea   |  January 11, 2023

The Princeton University historians are the editors of Myth America: Historians Take on the Biggest Legends and Lies About our Past. Here is a taste of their recent interview with Vanity Fair: I know both of you are particularly public-facing […]

Marjorie Taylor Greene: mainstream Republican

John Fea   |  January 11, 2023

As the Republican members-elect of the 118th Congress tried to select a Speaker of the House last week, Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, an election denier, former QAnon follower, and believer in Jewish space lasers, backed Kevin McCarthy on all […]

Historian Joanne Freeman on the near scuffle between Mike Rogers and Matt Gaetz

John Fea   |  January 7, 2023

Here is part of what I wrote last night after the fourteenth ballot for Speaker of the House: Before the end of the vote, McCarthy had to walk up the aisle to talk to Matt Gaetz to try to get […]

“Just say the election was corrupt and leave the rest to me and the Republican congressmen.” –Donald Trump

John Fea   |  January 7, 2023

Kevin McCarthy, with the help of Donald Trump, is Speaker of the House. Here is what some of the members of the House Select Committee on January 6th are saying: Liz Cheney: Adam Kinzinger: Adam Schiff: Jamie Raskin:

On January 6, 2021 there was violence on the House floor. Violence almost broke again on January 6, 2023

John Fea   |  January 7, 2023

As I started this post at 11:14pm on Friday night there were still six people standing in the way of Kevin McCarthy’s speakership. They were Andy Biggs (AZ), Lauren Boebert (CO), Eli Crane (AZ), Matt Gaetz (FL), Bob Good (VA), […]

Blogging the 12th vote for Speaker of the House

John Fea   |  January 6, 2023

A lot happened in this vote. McCarthy picked-up fourteen votes. There are now seven who oppose him. He needs three of these votes to become Speaker of the House. 12:20pm: I find it shocking that Mike Garcia (R-CA), while nominating […]

Nancy Pelosi on the Speaker of the House mess

John Fea   |  January 6, 2023

Not following what is happening in the House of Representatives? Click here and here and here and here to get up to speed. Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi made a few comments to reporters yesterday: Pelosi also said […]

A bad day for Kevin McCarthy

John Fea   |  January 5, 2023

After eleven votes, the House of Representatives still does not have a Speaker. A few minutes ago the House of Representatives–the people’s house–decided to adjourn for the night. They apparently got tired and hungry. We saw a lot of crazy […]

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