The removal of U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on October 3, orchestrated by far-right Republicans, triggered a wave of reactions from lawmakers. McCarthy faced removal with every Democrat in the chamber voting against him, joined by eight Republicans: Andy Biggs, Ken Buck, Tim Burchett, Eli Crane, Matt Gaetz, Bob Good, Nancy Mace, and Matt Rosendale, resulting in a 216-210 vote.
Vivek Ramaswamy, a GOP presidential primary contender, addressed the situation in a video message posted on X (formerly Twitter). In the 3-minute video, Ramaswamy discussed the motivation behind McCarthy’s ouster, emphasizing the theme of chaos and why it might not necessarily be a negative outcome.
With McCarthy’s removal, the House found itself without a leader, and many Republicans criticized Gaetz and his allies for causing disruption. Ramaswamy echoed this sentiment, suggesting that the goal of unseating McCarthy from the speakership was to “sow chaos.” He encouraged Gaetz and his colleagues to acknowledge that they voted to remove McCarthy and take ownership of their decision.
Ramaswamy raised important issues such as the border crisis, the growing national debt, the state of the U.S. economy, external threats like China, and concerns about lawmakers influenced by lobbyists. He questioned whether maintaining the status quo in these areas was truly the best approach or if a degree of chaos could be beneficial.
He also emphasized that the focus should shift from merely seeking a new speaker to addressing broader issues and reviving the country. Ramaswamy urged critics of Gaetz and the seven other Republicans who voted for McCarthy’s removal to concentrate on the reasons cited for their votes rather than fixating on the process of selecting a new speaker.
