Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) announced Wednesday that he would resign from Congress at the end of the year.
“No matter the odds, or personal cost, we did the right thing. That may seem out of fashion in Washington these days, but delivering results for the American people is still celebrated across the country,” McCarthy wrote in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal. “It is in this spirit that I have decided to depart the House at the end of this year to serve America in new ways. I know my work is only getting started.”
McCarthy’s announcement—which was expected— came two months after lawmakers in the House of Representatives unprecedented act of voting to oust him from the chamber’s top position as Speaker of the House.
After the vote, McCarthy reportedly cursed out former President Trump over the phone for refusing to come to his aid and denounce the removal efforts, led by far-right Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL).
While McCarthy points to “the end of this year” as his departure date, the House is actually scheduled to depart Capitol Hill for the rest of the year next week.
“I never could have imagined the journey when I first threw my hat into the ring. I go knowing I left it all on the field—as always, with a smile on my face. And looking back, I wouldn’t have had it any other way,” McCarthy wrote in his op-ed, adding: “Only in America.”
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