Chaos descended on the US Capitol yesterday after Republican Kevin McCarthy, in a shock move, withdrew his name in the race to become the next Speaker of the House of Representatives.
House Republicans were stunned when Mr McCarthy, the party's second-ranking member in the lower chamber of Congress and the presumed frontrunner to succeed Speaker John Boehner, pulled out of the election to the position that is second in line to the US presidency.
"If we are going to unite and be strong, we need a new face to do," said the congressman from California to a stunned political press corps, adding that he did not want to win the Speaker race on a marginal vote.
His decision to withdraw his name came just hours before Republicans were due to select a nominee to go forward to a vote by the entire House, which is controlled by Mr McCarthy’s party.
The move, which came without notice, was viewed as an all-out revolution by conservatives seeking to take control of the party.
The Republican Party in the House has been ravaged by division and internal insurrection in recent years, with diehard conservative backbenchers unhappy with the leadership of Mr Boehner and openly opposed to the appointment of his anointed successor, Mr McCarthy.
Conservatives managed to shut down the US government two years ago by blocking the passage of a budget in a row over defunding President Barack Obama’s healthcare law, so hated by Republicans.
The hardline conservative faction of the party mobilised again in recent days, under the new guise of the "Freedom Caucus", to challenge Mr McCarthy's expected ascendancy to the Speaker's seat, proposing instead little-known Republican Daniel Webster of Florida.
The move raised doubts about Mr McCarthy’s ability to reach the required 218 votes on the floor of the House in the ballot.
“I just think it’s best we have a new face,” said Mr McCarthy, who will remain on in his second-in-command role as majority leader.
The Republican, who took up that job in August 2014, drew fire last week for suggesting that a House committee investigating the deadly attacks on a US outpost in Benghazi, Libya in September 2012 was set up to damage Hillary Clinton's poll numbers in her bid to be president.
Repeated questioning
Mrs Clinton was secretary of state at the time of the attacks, which killed four Americans, and has faced repeated questioning by Republicans, who see Benghazi as her most vulnerable flank to attack.
“Well that wasn’t helpful. I could have said it much better,” Mr McCarthy told reporters of his comments, when asked whether they contributed to his decision.
His withdrawal sent Republicans into disarray on Capitol Hill, prompting the party to postpone the nomination of a candidate for Speaker ahead of a scheduled House vote on October 29th.
Attention immediately turned to the 2012 Republican vice-presidential nominee Paul Ryan, who is popular among moderates and conservatives alike, but he quickly ruled himself out of contention.
Mr Boehner reportedly called Mr Ryan, chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, twice asking him to reconsider and put his name forward for election as Speaker.
Congressman Jason Chaffetz of Utah, who entered the Speaker race late last week, said he was "absolutely stunned, surprised and shocked" by Mr McCarthy's decision.
“I do believe it is time for a fresh start. That was the whole genesis of my campaign but we need to have a lot more family discussion,” he said.
