| | | | |  | | By Daniella Diaz | | | With assists from POLITICO’s Congress team
|  House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) stops to speak with reporters as he walks to the House chamber for a procedural vote on a motion to remove him from his position as Speaker of the House at the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 3, 2023. | Francis Chung/POLITICO | HOW THE HOUSE GETS OUT OF UNCHARTED TERRITORY For the first time in U.S. history, the House has voted to oust its speaker. Eight Republicans sided with all Democrats to boot Kevin McCarthy, 216-210: Reps. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Ken Buck (R-Colo.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Bob Good (R-Va.), Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) and Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.). Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), a McCarthy ally, is now the acting speaker. There’s no precedent to govern what happens next, and House Republicans are preparing for a conference meeting at 6:45 p.m. as we write. But here are the three biggest questions that will determine how the House gets out of this: - Will McCarthy run again? He’s previously suggested that he wants to keep trying to remain speaker, but hasn't said anything about it since he was ousted. Attempting to get his job back would mean having to cut a deal with Democrats to support him for speaker — the sort of arrangement he ruled out in the run-up to Tuesday’s vote. McCarthy's allies insist he's not done fighting, though many acknowledge it's tough to see a path back. When asked whether McCarthy should run for speaker again, Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) said, “That's a question for him.” “We're in uncharted waters right now. So we have got to figure this out,” Donalds added. - Who else might run? Gaetz ticked off several potential replacements, including Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) and Reps. Mike Johnson (R-La.), Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) and Kevin Hern (R-Okla.). Other leadership members are being floated, including Majority Leader Steve Scalise and GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik and McHenry. But it’s unclear whether any of them could get enough support from the conference. So far no one has formally announced a bid. - How soon can the House vote to elect a new speaker? Technically, the House could hold another vote stat: There’s no waiting period after ousting a speaker before voting on a new one. We should have a better idea after the conference meeting. Vibe check: McHenry’s gavel slam. — Daniella Diaz, with help from Katherine Tully-McManus and Nicholas Wu
| | | | A message from the Brennan Center for Justice: The current power of the Supreme Court would have been unimaginable in the founding era. Ethics scandals and extreme rulings have exposed a broken system in which justices wield tremendous power with little accountability. Justices now serve more than a decade longer on average than they used to. No one should have power for this long. It’s time for Congress to shore up the Supreme Court’s legitimacy by instituting term limits. Learn more: https://www.brennancenter.org/term-limits | | | GOOD EVENING! Welcome to Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill, on this Tuesday, Oct. 3, where this job posting just went up if you’re interested. INSIDE THE GAETZ-TRUMP WORLD DONOR COLLAB Gaetz is actively fundraising off his move to oust McCarthy, as plenty of the now-deposed speaker’s allies frequently pointed out on the floor during Tuesday’s intense debate. But here’s an interesting and under-reported element: Despite former President Donald Trump’s suggestion on Truth Social that the House GOP infighting was a distraction, a key player in his orbit was actively coordinating with Gaetz. Meet Caroline Wren: A prominent fundraiser for Trump and his allies, Wren held a Q&A with Gaetz and another McCarthy critic, Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.), last week. During that event, they discussed the coming shutdown deadline and their thoughts on McCarthy, according to footage of the closed-door briefing obtained by Huddle. “Congressman Gaetz and I’ve been talking each night,” Wren said on the call. Risky business: Tying herself so closely to Gaetz gives Wren fresh clout on the right. In the days surrounding the Saturday spending vote that teed up McCarthy’s ouster, Wren was calling donors and encouraging either contributions to Republicans who opposed McCarthy’s deal or expressions of disappointment for those who supported it, a person familiar with the conversations told Huddle. Wren made clear that she is not coordinating with the former president on her effort to help Gaetz and Rosendale. Higher ambitions: Gaetz is weighing a run for Florida governor in 2026, and some colleagues believe he deployed his McCarthy ouster to boost his brand. Rosendale is actively weighing a bid against incumbent Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) next year. Wren has also been posting regularly on X, formerly known as Twitter, about her work directly with the conservative duo to fundraise off the McCarthy ouster. McCarthy “has no beliefs,” Gaetz said in a statement to Huddle about his work with Wren. “He solely exists as a vessel for lobbyists and PACs that work against the interests of the American people. In fact, his message is so unpopular with the rest of the country that he sought to pay influencers to say negative things about me online. The only donors I respond to is [sic] the army of small-dollar conservative patriots across the nation that support me.” Wren said in a statement to Huddle that “outside of D.C., an overwhelming majority of Republicans” agree with Gaetz and Rosendale on booting McCarthy. “My main focus has been to encourage conservative donors to financially support politicians who vote for the will of their constituents and not the will of corporate lobbyists,” she said. — Daniella Diaz
| | | | GROWING IN THE GOLDEN STATE: POLITICO California is growing, reinforcing our role as the indispensable insider source for reporting on politics, policy and power. From the corridors of power in Sacramento and Los Angeles to the players and innovation hubs in Silicon Valley, we're your go-to for navigating the political landscape across the state. Exclusive scoops, essential daily newsletters, unmatched policy reporting and insights — POLITICO California is your key to unlocking Golden State politics. LEARN MORE. | | | | | MEANWHILE, SENATE CELEBRATES BUTLER While the House descended into a frenzy, senators from both parties welcomed their new colleague Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) with a standing ovation. On the floor during Butler’s swearing-in, Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer joined her for her oath of office on a maroon Bible. Her oath was administered by Vice President Kamala Harris, whom Butler formerly advised. Harris told reporters that the new senator “will do an excellent job in filling this seat.” A handful of Republicans attended Butler’s swearing-in, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff also cheered for Butler from the gallery. The awkward part: Some members of the California House delegation stood in the back of the chamber during the ceremony, including Democratic Reps. Barbara Lee and Adam Schiff, who are both running in next year’s election to claim the seat Butler now holds. Rep. Katie Porter (D-Calif.), who is also running for the seat, was not in attendance. (Her comms director said Porter had a conflict but “communicated directly” with Butler to congratulate her. Other lingering questions: Butler hasn’t said whether or not she’ll run for a full term. She’s also expecting an imminent announcement on her committee assignments. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) told Huddle he doesn’t have a timeline for when Dianne Feinstein’s seat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which he chairs, will be filled. He also said people shouldn’t assume Butler will fill Feinstein’s plum spots. "Depends on each senator's own ambitions, career wishes. It doesn't automatically go to her,” Durbin said. “I don't even know that she wants it." Feinstein sat on three top-tier committees, including Judiciary, Intelligence and Appropriations. There’s sure to be some intense jockeying from other Democrats eager to nab those spots. — Ursula Perano
| | | | A message from the Brennan Center for Justice:   | | | | | Folks, the weather is nice. You can break up in a courtyard or something. Happy Fat Bear Week Eve! Voting starts tomorrow in the annual competition that tracks the bears of Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska, who are gorging on salmon to pack on the pounds before winter. You can watch them on live bear cams. You can vote for them. A bracket of 12 brown bears will compete in a single-elimination tournament determined by fans' votes for who’s doing the best to beef up for winter hibernation. Why Fat Bear Week? Some Huddle readers (and their bosses) are in the fight of their political lives, so why not take some joy in bears just doing their best? Not to mention that we thought we’d be robbed of it by a government shutdown. This might be as close to touching grass as many Huddle readers get. WaPo explains why FBW is a whole thing. Spotted: Kari Lake, who is expected to jump in the race for Senate in Arizona, was on the Senate side of the Capitol Tuesday. Looks like progressives got to the mural. The last of the Young Guns is gone.
| | | | A message from the Brennan Center for Justice: The current power of the Supreme Court would have been unimaginable in the founding era. Ethics scandals and extreme rulings have exposed a broken system in which justices wield tremendous power with little accountability. They now serve more than a decade longer on average than they used to. In a democracy, no one should have power for life. More than two-thirds of Americans favor term limits for justices. And 49 states already impose limits on their supreme court justices. Staggered 18-year terms would bring regular turnover to the bench and result in a Court that better reflects the will of the people. It’s time for Congress to shore up the legitimacy of the Supreme Court by instituting term limits. Learn more: https://www.brennancenter.org/term-limits | | | QUICK LINK Hakeem Jeffries Is the Big Winner in the McCarthy Trials, from Grace Segers at The New Republic Here Are the Republicans in the Mix to Replace Kevin McCarthy, from Maeve Sheehey and Jonathan Tamari at Bloomberg Government
| | | | GO INSIDE THE CAPITOL DOME: From the outset, POLITICO has been your eyes and ears on Capitol Hill, providing the most thorough Congress coverage — from political characters and emerging leaders to leadership squabbles and policy nuggets during committee markups and hearings. We're stepping up our game to ensure you’re fully informed on every key detail inside the Capitol Dome, all day, every day. Start your day with Playbook AM, refuel at midday with our Playbook PM halftime report and enrich your evening discussions with Huddle. Plus, stay updated with real-time buzz all day through our brand new Inside Congress Live feature. Learn more and subscribe here. | | | | | TOMORROW IN CONGRESS The House is (probably) in session. The Senate is in session. WEDNESDAY AROUND THE HILL Nothing yet.
| | MONDAY’S ANSWER: Jack Howard correctly guessed that George H.W. Bush held the record for longest-living U.S. president before former President Jimmy Carter, who celebrated his 99th birthday on Sunday. TODAY’S QUESTION from Howard: Which future First Lady married one of her teachers and future President? The first person to correctly guess gets a mention in the next edition of Huddle. Send your answers to huddletrivia@politico.com. GET HUDDLE emailed to your phone each evening. Follow Daniella on X at @DaniellaMicaela. | | | | Follow us | | | | |
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