Pennsylvania Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson, who was one of the 210 Republicans who voted against removing Kevin McCarthy from his job as speaker of the U.S. House on Tuesday, called the move a distraction by "shameless self-promoters."
Eight Republicans in the U.S. House broke from their party. Joined by Democrats, the Republicans who led the effort had enough votes to strip McCarthy of his position as speaker.
Thompson, a Republican from Centre County, issued a statement after the vote taking aim at those behind it.
"Today’s vote was nothing but a distraction from a handful of shameless self-promoters," Thompson's statement said. "Their form of demagoguery doesn’t work without a foil. Now, they’ll have no one to blame but themselves."
Thompson represents Pennsylvania’s sprawling 15th district. He’s also chairman of the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, and has been working to pass the Farm Bill. It expired at the end of September. It’s unclear what impact the turmoil in the House will have on its passage.
U.S. Rep. John Joyce, a Republican who represents the 13th district in south central Pennsylvania, also voted against removing McCarthy.
The vote made McCarthy the first speaker to be ousted from the position.
