Kevin McCarthy, the US House Speaker, lost his position in an unprecedented showdown. The vote to remove McCarthy was 216 to 210, with 208 Democrats and eight Republicans breaking ranks. McCarthy’s speakership lasted only 269 days, making him the third-shortest tenured speaker in history. House speakers traditionally serve for two years, but McCarthy’s election in January was difficult and marked by divisions within the Republican Party. McCarthy faced challenges in securing government funding and had to align with Democrats to keep the government open, which ultimately led to his removal.