Overview

• Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) announced his departure from Congress, adding to a wave of retirements and resignations in both the House and Senate this term.
• McCarthy's resignation leaves House Republicans with a narrower majority and his California seat up for a special election.
• Many of the GOP retirees have expressed concern about the increasingly Trump-centric and extremist direction their party is taking.
• McCarthy's departure is seen as driven by a combination of factors, including his ouster as leader by the right flank of his own party and general congressional dysfunction.
• His departure will make the GOP's slim House majority even tighter, complicating future votes and magnifying the ability of individual lawmakers to force concessions.