Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) took a surprising turn in the election for House speaker on Thursday by voting for former President Donald Trump over Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).
Gaetz, who has previously been a vocal critic of McCarthy and even suggested Trump should be nominated for the position, was previously part of a group of 20 holdouts who had been opposing McCarthy’s bid.
This marks the first time there has been a break in their ranks since the beginning of the voting process. “I pledge to nominate [Trump] for speaker,” Gaetz has previously stated.
