According to a recent CBS News poll, a majority of Americans, constituting 60% of adults in the U.S., support the House’s decision to remove Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from the position of speaker. The survey reveals that among those favoring McCarthy’s removal, 75% believe that McCarthy was ineffective. This sentiment emerged after McCarthy’s involvement in a deal to prevent a government shutdown last month, which drew criticism from many members of the conservative faction within his party.
Interestingly, the poll shows that 54% of self-identified conservatives express approval for ousting McCarthy, while an even higher percentage, 70%, of liberals back the move.
The decision to strip McCarthy of his leadership role occurred last Tuesday when Democrats, along with Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and a small group of conservative allies, voted against him. This development has introduced a new level of chaos into the House, particularly with the looming possibility of another government shutdown in the coming weeks.
House Republicans are anticipated to convene in the upcoming week to navigate the way forward. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) has officially declared his pursuit of the speakership, and former President Donald Trump has endorsed Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who has also formally expressed his bid. This sets the stage for a potentially contentious battle to replace McCarthy, who has stated that he will not seek another opportunity for the top House position.
The CBS News poll sampled 2,155 U.S. adults and carried a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.