Schrier, Newhouse Stick With Their Parties In House Speaker Vote

Congress members representing Chelan and Douglas counties voted on party lines in the Tuesday referendum that saw House Speaker Kevin McCarthy lose his position.

Fourth District Republican Dan Newhouse voted with most Republicans to retain McCarthy.

But it wasn't enough as eight hardline conservative Republicans voted with all Democrats, including 8th district Representative Kim Schrier, to remove the speaker.

The GOP defectors were enough to doom McCarthy in the closely divided House, as he became the first Speaker ever to be removed from the post by a congressional vote.

The hardline conservatives became increasingly angry with McCarthy after he made a deal with President Biden to raise the debt ceiling back in May.

The group became further incensed last weekend when McCarthy offered stripped down legislation to extend government funding that included none of the provisions and spending cuts they favored.

That bill, known as a continuing resolution, passed with far stronger support from Democrats than Republicans.

The measure will keep the government funded for 45 days.

Fifth District Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Spokane in currently the only other Republican member of the House in addition to Newhouse. McMorris Rodgers also voted to retain McCarthy.

Hardline conservatives almost nearly blocked McCarthy from initially becoming House Speaker after Republicans won a slim majority in the last congressional election, holding up his confirmation until the 15^th round of votes.