Politicians React To Kevin McCarthy's Withdrawal From Speaker Race

He took a lot of people by surprise.

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R), the favorite to replace John Boehner as House speaker, unexpectedly dropped out of the race Thursday.

“I have the deepest respect and regard for each Member of the Conference and our team as a whole," McCarthy said in a statement. "It is imperative for us to unite and work together on the challenges facing our country. Over the last week it has become clear to me that our Conference is deeply divided and needs to unite behind one leader. I have always put this Conference ahead of myself. Therefore I am withdrawing my candidacy for Speaker of the House. I look forward to working alongside my colleagues to help move our Conference’s agenda and our country forward.”

Because of McCarthy's decision, the election for speaker has now been postponed.

Read politicians' reactions to McCarthy's announcement below:

John Boehner

Reactions To McCarthy

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