McCarthy Loses House Speakership, Says He Won’t Run Again

Doing the right thing isn’t always easy, but it is necessary. I don’t regret standing up for choosing government over grievance. It is my responsibility. It is my job. I do not regret negotiating. Our government is designed to find compromise. I don’t regret my efforts to build coalitions and find solutions. I was raised to solve problems, not create them. So I may have lost a vote today. But as I walk out of this chamber, I feel fortunate to have served the American people. I leave the speakership with a sense of pride, accomplishment and yes, optimism. From the day I entered politics, my mission has always been to make tomorrow better than today. I fought for what I believe in, and I believe in this country of America. I believe I can continue to fight maybe in a different manner. I will not run for speaker again. I’ll have the conference pick somebody else. I hope you realize that every day I did the job, regardless whether you underestimated me or not, I wanted to do it with a smile.