On Thursday, Republican representative Kevin McCarthy dropped out from the race to replace Speaker of the House John Boehner. This action baffled many of his colleagues, who had perceived him as a frontrunner. “He was making his plea this morning for speaker and this afternoon he’s out of the race,” said Rep. John Fleming of Louisiana. “What happened in those four hours, I don’t know.” McCarthy has faced backlash from the Republican Party for his remarks on the House Benghazi committee, undercutting GOP claims that the inquiry was apolitical.
