The new successor to Kevin McCarthy faces a challenging task ahead as they inherit a difficult situation.

In January, Kevin McCarthy made a deal that allowed any member of Congress to call for a vote to remove him as House speaker. On Tuesday, Republican Matt Gaetz used this power and, with the help of Democrats, successfully ousted McCarthy. Most Republicans are now uncertain about their next steps. Despite the majority of Republicans voting in favor of keeping McCarthy in his position, a few rebels caused chaos in the chamber. McCarthy had previously made efforts to maintain the loyalty of his conservative supporters, but these efforts were ineffective. When McCarthy relied on Democratic support to temporarily fund the government, his fate was sealed. McCarthy may still attempt to regain power by convincing the Republicans who voted against him to change their minds, as he did in January, but his options seem limited. The speakership that McCarthy had sought throughout his career has become a problematic position. The divisions within the Republican party will persist, and the challenges in effectively running the chamber remain. This historic vote to remove a House speaker is the culmination of a long-standing battle within the Republican party between the establishment and its passionate base, which dates back to the Tea Party movement. This fight represents a clash between practicality and ideologica purity. Although Gaetz had supporters for his motion, he was the central figure in this effort. In the debate leading up to the vote, Gaetz, positioned on the Democratic side of the chamber but speaking to his Republican colleagues, took the majority of the time to argue against McCarthy. Both sides of the Republican split agree that Washington is dysfunctional. Gaetz criticized the secretive nature of budget negotiations and the approval of massive spending bills, while McCarthy's defenders argued that compromise is essential and emphasized McCarthy's success in advancing the conservative agenda. Congressman Kelly Armstrong accused politicians like Gaetz of prioritizing grandstanding and fundraising over effective governance. The removal of McCarthy has left the House in disarray, with no clear path to finding a new speaker. Republicans are now figuring out their next steps behind closed doors, while Democrats seemingly view this chaos as politically advantageous. However, the situation is uncertain, and with the risk of a government shutdown in November, the future remains uncertain and turbulent.